Time Trip into Space
by Ironic hipster
Summary: Gotenks is transported into the past via the hyperbolic time chamber. When separted from Piccolo he has to fight the greatest foe that ever embodied evil Freeza. But that is merely the tip of the ice berg, as history is rewritten universes collide and returning home maybe the hardest battle yet.
1. The Hyperbolic Time Chamber

**Time Trip into Space **

I like making up little adventures for Trunks and Goten they seem like they could have their out spin off series. Obviously Trunks and Goten are going to be doing some time traveling goodness and their usual mischief. I got the idea for this fic from a couple of episodes from the Majin Buu saga which should become pretty evident. I hope you enjoy it!

**Prologue **

It was a sinking feeling like falling suddenly from a missed stepped. The cocky attitude and childish games suddenly felt foolish, but Piccolo had no choice he had to close the doors permanently. Gotenks knew this as he inwardly fought to keep his tears back and tried not to lose his cool. Though it was rapidly slipping, especially with Goten who, started to think about his deceased mother and began to show more panic on their face. Piccolo turned his attention from the demolished entrance of the hyperbolic time chamber; a smirk crossed his face as he looked over at the dumb founded Majin Buu whose face was quickly growing to a fast paced anxiety. It seemed, Piccolo thought Majin Buu realized he was trapped.

"But what about candy?" Majin Buu uttered as both of his hulking arms fell slack at his waist.

Piccolo surprised by his childish response to what was to be their eternity, even if that was only going to be a few more moments. Almost didn't know how to respond. "There is no candy Buu, and no way out either."

Majin Buu couldn't believe it. "NO CANDY?" The vastness of the time chamber couldn't have held the shock that fell over Majin Buu. He expelled a cry that stopped Gotenks own realization.

"No, Buu want candy, want candy NOW!" Buu turned away from his cohorts in this prison that now truly was one, one without any candy. Steam blew from Buu's head as he jerked his head violently back and forth. His screams echoed over the time chamber. Piccolo yelled to Gotenks to get on guard as it was possible another transformation could transpire. Gotenks let out a slight gasp as just the idea of _another_ version of Buu existing when he couldn't defeat this one was not something he would admit to being… worried about.

Majin Buu paced around in circles, his hands grasped his face and his breathing increased as his face grew desperate. Piccolo began to reconsider Buu's motivations as he seemed solely concerned with procuring chocolate. Majin Buu began making slight mumblings under his breath that even Piccolo didn't have to hear clearly to know what he was saying.

"Chocolate, chocolate, candy, chocolate, chocolate…"

"What's he doing now?" cried Gotenks who was unsure if Buu was going to attack in anger or was just going to stand there chanting.

"I'm not sure" said Piccolo "but don't let your guard down!"

Suddenly Majin Buu through his head back, still mumbling. Gotenks on the fly made up a new attack, _the reverse hit. _A smirk crossed his face as he flicked back his blonde hair in defiance. Glancing over at Piccolo Gotenks let out a roar of laughter that didn't budge Majin Buu from his forward trance.

"Alright you big ugly pink slime, I've just come up with my best move yet!" He said as he raised both hands into the air where a ball of ki floated above him. Piccolo watched as Gotenks began to wave both of his hands into circles and split the ki in half, Majin Buu who had been solely looking upwards mumbling suddenly began screaming. Gotenks felt the power in his attack drop; the impression wasn't lost on Piccolo as his face went from cocky to a twinge of nervousness. But Majin Buu wouldn't relent; his screams began to terrify Gotenks so without really thinking his attack through he threw the blast at Majin Buu from the backside.

It only seemed to help him because at that moment a fissure opened in the supposedly sealed room. At first Gotenks thought it was the result of his ki blast, but the pale face terror on Piccolo face made him realize quickly that it was absolutely Majin Buu. What he also realized was that the opening was getting smaller. So did Majin Buu.

Majin Buu began to climb through it; the idea of chocolate on the other side was what probably motivated him. When he was through Piccolo yelled to Gotenks to hurry and get through before it closed. But as Gotenks scrabbled to reach it he felt a very strange aura coming from it that made him shiver, turning back to Piccolo he began to shake his head when he heard the surge of Piccolo's voice fly up over his shoulders.

"Go Gotenks, this is our only way out!" he shouted.

"But Piccolo, I feel really… uneasy" Gotenks protested.

"I don't care how you feel JUST GO!" screamed Piccolo.

His protesting useless Gotenks grabbed the ever decreasing edges; eyes closed, pushed his head through and pulled his legs in through a tuck and roll. It was like being in a dark room even though it only lasted a moment, the strange feeling had past and Gotenks turned to let out a huff when he realized he was floating in space. And he wasn't alone.


	2. Gotenks Reappears

A/N: I always wondered why nobody ever casually told Trunks that one version of himself time travelled. I mean after all the stuff they see that can't be the strangest thing he would ever hear.

BTW I'm going to be pulling some Namekian five minutes in this story.

**Part I**

It seemed Gotenks couldn't catch a break. He climbed reluctantly out of one dimension after Majin Buu, who didn't seem to be anywhere or Piccolo for that matter. Gotenks quickly realized he wasn't alone. In fact, it seemed he had stumbled into some other battle that was on the verge of beginning. All of the soldiers were dressed similarly to the style of armor Trunks's dad always wore. Confusing Gotenks further was the plastered look of fear on everyone's face as he floated by, everyone that is but the guy yelling in the front.

The passing eyes gawked at Gotenks as he flew closer and started to see what all the fuss was about. A pint size, lizard-like creature with soulless eyes perched prominently above the mass of soldiers. He slowly lifted his finger up and a small red ball of ki suddenly hovered above it. The tension rose behind Gotenks as he heard the mass of soldiers cry out their allegiance to the creature they called "Lord Freeza".

"FREEZA?" Gotenks said aloud "I've heard that name before!"

Racking his brain for the bits of information he knew of Freeza. Gohan had mention once that Freeza had probably shaved seven years off his life, how he _had_ been the terror of the universe until Goku defeated him on Namek. Gotenks cast the thought aside with a smirk and self-congratulations when he recited that regardless he was much stronger. Gotenks was eager to give a show; he powered up the ki in his body only to feel it deflating like a balloon. He could feel his energy dwindling so rapidly he knew the fusion was going to separate soon. He didn't even notice he had returned to his original saiyan form, but it didn't matter.

"Hey Freezer!" he said with a cocky gaunt. "Yeah you ugly up there with the big stupid tail!" he said with a huge grin that spanned his face as he began to laugh like he had told a funny joke.

The near death look on the soldiers face before exacerbated as the would-be-hero raced head on with Freeza before even he had time to react. Puzzled as to who or even what Gotenks was Freeza let out a chuckle as he grew the ki on his finger to a giant size ball, bigger even Gotenks thought than the one Majin Buu threw at him. Never the less Gotenks with an even bigger laugh than Freeza turned his head aside with equal malice "I've got a surprise for you!" he said releasing his ki and turning super saiyan. As he thought Freeza's eyes filled with horror.

Freeza let out a gasp that didn't miss Gotenks ear. With a massive heave Freeza barreled the ki blast toward Gotenks instead of its intend target, the huge rouge planet in the distance. Every soldier watched as the unexpected events unfolded; one in particular, the man who had been shouting in front of the throngs seemed more shocked than any other as if he knew the significance of the transformation. Gotenks on the other hand was the only one with a smile on his face.

"Man Freezer, I hope this isn't the best you can do." To the surprise of all least of all Freeza his blast hardly forced a sweat out of Gotenks.

"Im.. Impossible! What are you?" Freeza bellowed with undisguised fear.

Gotenks smirked, though this isn't were he ever imagined he would be when he climbed out after Majin Buu he couldn't have wished on Sheron to be in a better place. A battle where he had the upper hand was wining in fact, and could afford to show off.

"Who am I? WHO AM I FREEZER? I'm your worst enemy!" Gotenks shouted as another hardy laugh burst out. Gotenks pushed with some effort Freeza's ki blast back at him amazing everyone further. The blast ripped roaring back at Freeza killing his men that laid in its wake. Freeza jumped from his hover craft that was also eclipsed in the blast. Freeza jabbed his finger at his scouter, almost forgetting he had it. The boy was definitely something to worry about, though it wasn't possible…

"Zarbon get out here now!" Freeza couldn't believe the reading, it was well over 10,000. More than any being he had ever encountered before. And still just a child.

Truthfully Gotenks was glad the blast didn't kill Freezer, what would be the fun in that? Even if he separated right now Freeza was terrified of him and seeing two boys pop out would probably cause him to cry home to his mommy. Gotenks noticed that Freeza had a surviving recruit or most likely was calling for help from that big mammoth of a ship. _Its fine _Gotenks thought _the more the merrier. _

"Alright boy you got lucky and I won't deny that you are certainly stronger than those monkey's you pledge to protect. But I' am Freeza the strongest in the universe!" Freeza had rejuvenated his jovial manner now that his right hand man stood by him who didn't look like he was worried. Which internally made Gotenks infuriated, but he never showed it. Not to mention Gotenks was never one to let a comment go without a reply.

"Who says I' am protecting a monkey? You giant lizard!" Gotenks placed his palms together out in front of him. "But I know who you are, and since you've _unfortunately _met me I'm going to put your lights out!" Gotenks began to charge the kamehameha; its power alone was stronger than the life forces coming from the soldiers still behind him. Freeza pressed his scouter again and saw that the power level on the attack was rising to almost 50,000. Gotenks was summiting over half of his energy and pushing it into the kamehameha. He looked over at Freeza and saw that his time wasn't being wasted, Freeza had thrown some ki blasts in anger at him but he had barely noticed them. Gotenks knew more than anything this was more than Freeza had _ever_ had to do in battle and he was happy to oblige.

"Hey Freezer! Can you catch this or can your green friend?" he shouted as he hurled the kamehameha wave directly at him. It hit him before Freeza even knew how to react to it. The explosion ripped up through Freeza's body and out right killed Zarbon before it even touched him. Freeza felt his nerves fry as his skin recoiled to the burning sensation that was all over his body. Like he had collided with a super nova and the delayed reaction was finally surfacing. Anger and hate was the only emotion that flowed throughout him as his body seemingly was breaking apart. _It wasn't possible _Freeza thought _how a boy…could do this to Freeza? _

The attack was impressive, Piccolo would have been speechless that's for certain. Gotenks felt his body slipping apart, time was up. In an instant Goten and Trunks reappeared to the surprise and shock of the onlookers. Goten and Trunks looked over at each other as their combined kamehameha was still proving to be a powerful source of energy against Freeza and he didn't seem to be able to even hold it off.

"Man that's no fun" said Trunks with his arms tucked under his head "He didn't even survive our first attack, what a weakling." Goten nodded his head with a playful giggle in agreement.

There was a slight hesitation from the onlookers when Trunks shot a glance at them. They jumped backed as if the boy was about to slaughter them with a squint of his eye. The kamehameha finally dissipated and where Freeza once stood was now nothing but black space. Goten threw up a fist in celebration, but Trunks noticed how one of the onlookers who looked like Goten's dad, stared at him with a tense concentration that seemed to frighten him.

"Goten" Trunks nudged Gotens happy contentment. "That guy keeps staring at us." Goten turned his head toward the direction of the onlookers.

"It's my dad!" shouted Goten as he charged toward the sparse crowd. The man certainly looked like Goten's dad but, there was something… different something Trunks couldn't put his finger on. Goten on the other hand was certain.

"DADDY!" Goten cried was he reached the man who upon seeing the pint size boy up close seemed shocked by his expression. Trunks was now certain.

"Goten, that's not your dad. Get a feel of his power level its much lower!" The man finally broke his wall of silence; he couldn't even get a full reading on his scouter of their levels and was surprised that they could without one.

"Power levels, you can read them without scouters?" he asked. Trunks had turned stoned faced though he would normally be cocky in a situation where he knows he would prevail; there was something about this guy that Trunks didn't like. Goten looked up at the man who did look like his father but noticed that he didn't have his father's kind eyes, they were tougher and much more severe than his father's ever were. He also noticed a scar on his left cheek that he had never noticed on his father's face. Trunks was right, this wasn't his dad.

Goten started sheepishly "Then who are you mister?" he asked standing adjacent to Trunks.

"I could ask you the same thing" he said defiantly which impressed Trunks.

"You saw what we are" said Trunks "Powerful, more than you." Trunks couldn't help but pepper up his ego; more than anything he loved getting a rise out of adults. The effect seemed to be working as the man was quickly becoming angered.

"So you're just another tyrant aren't you?" he asked clenching his fists. Goten quickly intervened before Trunks could answer.

"No we're not tyrants, we just killed Freezer how can you call us tyrants?" Goten feeling the man's anger diminish he clenched his fist "I was going to kill Freeza, for everything that he has done to my people, my comrades…" he paused a moment remembering a painful memory before continuing "I'm glad he's gone but I would have rather he'd been destroyed by a saiyan."

"Ah, ah saiyan?" Goten and trunks said in unison. "You're a saiyan?" Trunks looked at his waist and saw a neatly curled tail that could have been mistaken for a belt. Trunks recalled his father talking about how saiyans are born with tails and how his mother insisted his be removed. There was no doubt this guy was a saiyan, but how? They were all dead weren't they?

The man not surprised by their reaction considering the saiyans reputation across the universe. He began to consider that they may be out for vengeance. "Yes I' am, I'm a third class warrior but…" looking over at where Freeza had been and only his damaged ship remained "I know that's why Freeza was going to destroy Vejitasai.

"Vejitasai?" said Trunks. Looking over at the massive rouge planet that was orbiting in the background; Trunks eyes bulged as he realized exactly what he and Goten inadvertently did. He pulled Goten by the arm a bit to be out of ear shot.

"Goten, I don't know how but when we followed Majin Buu through that dimension rip we somehow went back in time and are at the time of the saiyans destruction!" Goten let out a huge gasp "so that means, we killed freezer… for real?" Trunks nodded "Yeah and before your dad did; we saved the saiyan race!" Goten let out a little chuckle "That makes us heroes right?" Trunks smiled "Of course it does, but think about it if we're here where is Majin Buu? And Piccolo? "What if he's killed my mom?" Trunks said in a hurried panic. The prospect reminded Goten how his own mother was carelessly smashed by Majin Buu.

"Don't worry Trunks" Goten said with a pervasive tone. "My dad wouldn't let that happen."

The saiyan watched as the two remarkable boys were suddenly overcome with sadness that he didn't expect to see from warriors who had just done the impossible. His face softened a bit from its cold expressionless exterior either by empathy or from his continued interest with Goten. There likeness obviously was not lost on him.

"Listen, this will probably be the first time you ever hear a saiyan admit someone else was stronger…" he began. When he was cut off by Trunks, who stuck his finger out at the saiyan and shouted.

"Haven't you figured it out by now? We're saiyans too!" Trunks cocked a smile "we're just ten times stronger that's all." Trunks didn't miss a beat and Goten wasn't far behind, they weren't even lying this time even Piccolo couldn't yell at them.

The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. "Saiyans? But…how? You'd have to be elites!"

Trunks and Goten looked at each other with the same quizzical expression on their faces. "I don't know what an _elite_ saiyan fights like but I can't imagine their stronger than my dad" Trunks said with his arms crossed over his chest. Goten laughed in agreement "yeah you're right Trunks, my dad too." Fear began to surmount in the saiyans face as the idea of what their father's power levels, elites, would be.

"Who are you?" he demanded "What's your name and rank?"

"What are ya the cops?" Trunks said in a mocking tone. Goten lightly pushed Trunks' shoulder "Trunks…" he said above his breath. "Don't be rude." Trunks nudged him off "Stop it Goten" he said before realizing it.

"Tru-nks, Goten? Those aren't saiyan names.

"Oh yeah well what's your name you little weakling?" Trunks said fuming at the implied insult.

"His name is Bardock" the familiar feeling of fear fell over everyone, Trunks and Goten quickly looked behind them to the black void that now hovered the creature that had been the terror of the universe for centuries. Not completely whole, he still commanded a presents even in his modified form. The kamehameha had had an effect on him just not the one Trunks and Goten had wanted. "Well, I hope I'm not interrupting your little chat." Freeza said with a long winded laugh.

**DON DON DON! Well looks like Freeza's back! (oh no!) **


	3. Freeza Returns

vdsmkA Trip through Space and Time

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa etc. I'm sorry for the slow updates but I've been busy with work as well as being sick for a bit, yay… I hope everyone had a great new year!

I hope the longer chapter makes up for the slow update; hopefully this won't be the norm.

I don't own DBZ

It almost felt like moving in slow motion, like being in a movie where the secret is just revealed when the voice of Freeza broke through the silence. He let out a snicker and cocked a grin as he looked down on his incapacitated audience. His body was in shambles, Trunks' blast had blown off half of his lower torso. His left leg and tail were obliterated. A huge gash from his right, dislocated shoulder was covered in dried purple blood, and scorch marks covered his body. But his power level was controlled and steadily climbing.

Bardock seemed to instinctively push Goten and Trunks to the side despite their obvious strength over him. The saiyan said nothing when Trunks mentioned Freeza's growing power level; the look in his eye seemed to convey that he was no longer solely dependent on his scouter to know how to read his opponent.

"Freeza… how dare you!" Bardock seethed.

"Oh, the monkeys upset that his little plan didn't work?" Freeza chuckled as he slowly descended toward Bardock. "Well now that you and your monkeys have failed to destroy me I will finish what I should have started years ago!" Freeza's body quivered as he began to summon his ki with his left hand. He had popped his right arm back into place but was still visibly sore from it. The remaining soldiers behind Bardock dissipated when Freeza's decrepit form proved to them, that he was unbeatable.

Goten flared up his ki; quickly turning super saiyan. An intense and sudden emotion took over him as he flew in front of Bardock who wearily stretched his arm in protest. Trunks feeling left out flared his ki and rushed to be by Goten's side. Goten's face was contradicting; he had a glare in his eyes yet was also dripping in tears. He wiped his face with the sleeve of his arm as Freeza snickered about his small stature and childish behavior.

"My…mom" Goten started "My mom was killed by someone like you, someone who doesn't care about anyone else, or what happens when they destroy something…" Goten trailed off as he felt the ki within his body grow enormously and flare out around him.

Bardock watched as the golden light enveloped him; the boy's likeness to him was evident in his expressions, though he wasn't Goku he could have been his brother…

"Wait, don't be hasty I think he's toying with us." Bardock said as Freeza floated closer but in no hurry; he felt both Goten and Trunks climb to levels he had never thought attainable let alone for mere children. Trunks smirked "good, let him" he looked up at Bardock "I wouldn't want this to be boring." Bardock darted his eyes as he flew in front of the young saiyan grabbing him in surprise by his gi.

"Look I know you boys are strong, and I know this sounds crazy but in a vision I saw Freeza blows Vejitasai up and kills us all!" The look on his face showed that he expected complete corporation but Trunks just continued smirking.

"Listen Goten and I are the strongest warriors on earth. We were just playing with Freezer so don't get your panties in a bunch." Trunks said looking over at Goten with a nod. Bardock looked perplex, though saiyans were certainly known for their arrogance this boy seemed to take first prize. But that wasn't the only thing that passed over his senses.

"Earth?" Bardock said recalling a vague memory. Trunks and Goten had turned their attention from Bardock to the unusually patient Freeza, who for a floating corps was actually beginning to show promise. Freeza stuck his left hand out making a ticking sound as he flicked it back and forth.

"I can only tolerate you monkeys for so long before you start to annoy me." Freeza said as he pulled his arms uncomfortably across his chest.

Bardock began to seethe at the comment and in a rage flew a punch toward Freeza's head which was quickly blocked by his relocated arm. The movement proved that Freeza wasn't inhibited by his injuries. Bardock hurled a knee kick to the side of his head instinctively; normally Freeza would have grabbed him with his tail but thanks to Gotenks it was gone. He grabbed Bardock's leg with his right arm tossing him above him at a speed that Bardock couldn't gain control over his body to stop and fire a ki blast in defense. Freeza however was in full control of his body and hurled a bright red ki blast towards Bardock.

Quickly Goten; already in super saiyan form hastily dashed to Bardock's aid pushing him aside as the ki blast made its way up to Goten who reflected it back down towards Freeza. Trunks who had already started throwing ki blasts at Freeza took advantage of the distraction the returned ki made and threw a swift kick in Freeza's face which did throw him back a bit.

Bardock quietly thanked Goten before they both rushed towards Freeza who had a scowl on his face from Trunk's kick. Trunks smirked and looked over at Goten. _That move always threw off Goten, even though dad thinks it's a cheap trick. _

"Alright monkeys" Freeza said bitterly "This game is over!" Though Freeza's torso was blown into tatters he was still able to summon energy throughout his body. Since the soldiers that had littered the field had long since dispersed Freeza's original aim became clear, especially to Bardock. A surge passed over him; he had already seen his death and had desperately wanted to change it. This second chance brought by the two boys was something Bardock didn't want to squander.

"The best way to get rid of bees is to take out the hive!" Freeza said as his ki began to grow once again.

Trunks and Goten looked at each other with a nod. Goten looked up at Bardock who had darted a glance over at the looming red planet behind them. "Can you distract Freezer for a moment?" Bardock looked at Goten confused. "Why? What's wrong" Bardock suddenly heard Goten in his head, he couldn't before this moment but suddenly realized it when Goten explain without saying a physical word.

"Fusion? What is that?" Bardock said aloud to a surprised Goten and Trunks. Trunks pointed his finger at Bardock and said casually "You saw us fused already, we just need a moment to fuse again." Goten let out a giggle "We usually mess up the first time. Piccolo always gets so mad at us." Trunks smacked Goten on the head "You mean YOU do!" he crossed his arms in defiance.

Bardock did remember; they had been one boy initially and if it were possible were even more arrogant, though it was obvious where that influence came from. Their combine power level was much higher than their current separate levels.

'I'll do what I can…" Bardock said as Freeza loomed over him with his massive ki.

"Well are you going to be taken out with the rest of the trash or cling to your miserable life like scum?" Freeza said as Bardock charged full rage throwing his ki at Freeza who just chuckled as the massive vacuum of space seemed to suck right into his giant ki.

Trunks and Goten began to prepare their fusion dance. They both realized they didn't have time to mess around like they did at the look out; they had to get this right the first time around. Bardock abandoned his ki onslaught in favor of his combination physical attacks. Freeza out of pure enjoyment of elongating the moment put one of his arms out and fired a steady stream of ki's at Bardock which he was able to block. He wedged his foot into Freeza's main weakness, his exposed pelvis. Freeza slightly caught off guard by Bardock's attack grabbed his leg, crushing his tibia with his grip as he squeezed it.

Bardock let out a cry, but still managed to grab hold of Freeza's right shoulder; digging his fingers into the sore wound which made Freeza let out a small grunt in pain. The pain in Bardock's face wasn't lost on Freeza "stupid monkey…" Bardock darted his eyes "You won't think so when my son defeats you!" Bardock laced his fingers together in the shape of a fist and came down on Freeza's neck. Freeza whipped his body around trying to force the saiyan off him. Freeza looked over at Goten and Trunks just as they were completing their fusion dance.

"So that monkey over there is your son?" Freeza said as he hurled the ki blast towards Goten and Trunks. Bardock looked over hoping the boys had finally fused into their ultimate warrior. Freeza began laughing as the blast gain momentum as it inched closer to the two young saiyans; Bardock began to wonder if he hadn't given them enough time.

"Well so much for your son defeating me!" Freeza said as the blast seemed to hit its target. Bardock tried to feel out their ki, it was still going strong.

Bardock tried to see if he could enter Freeza's mind like he entered Goten's before. Inside he could see and feel what Freeza felt, all his twisted ideals and pure hatred for the saiyan race that extended far beyond what Bardock had originally thought. But as he quickly realized Freeza also couldn't detect power levels without a scouter. Freeza couldn't sense that the boys' power levels were reaching higher levels every moment and that his measly ki blast that would have destroyed Vejitasai and everyone on it, but it was not going to be enough for these two saiyans from earth.

Bardock smirked, which made Freeza wonder. Finally Freeza's blast was pushed up with great ease as if those two boys were waiting for a perfect entrance. Goten and Trunks had once again become Gotenks. Freeza felt a sharp pain in his side from Bardock's earlier kick and quickly gritted his teeth.

"Looks like the ball is in my court now" Gotenks said as he whirled the giant ball of ki above him.

Freeza held back acting irrationally, sighing he clapped his hands which shocked Bardock who knew a moment earlier Freeza had thought he had won. Gotenks balanced the ki above him not at all fazed by Freeza's retort.

"Well I'll have to hand it to you monkey, you can do two tricks." Freeza let out a cackle as he dared Gotenks to throw the blast back. Bardock scanned his mind trying to figure out what Freeza was planning, he had to be bluffing. When Bardock realized it he darted towards Gotenks.

"Don't throw it back, it's a trick!" Bardock yelled as Gotenks was on the verge of tossing the ki blast high into the air.

"He's going to throw it at Vejitasai, whatever you do don't give it back!" Bardock shouted as load and as hard as he could hoping Gotenks would listen. Gotenks looked over at Bardock slightly irritated.

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Gotenks shouted as the ball of ki above him started to crumble down into smaller ki forms before Bardock's very eyes. Gotenks then started to spit out small ghost forms of himself all of which had pieces of Gotenks personality in each of them. Bardock had never seen such an attack before, even Freeza seemed quizzical. Gotenks pointed to Freeza's ki blasts that hovered above them. "See those, take those back to Freezer with your kamikaze attack!" each of the ghosts looked at each other with giggling enthusiasm.

Without missing a beat the ghosts took the ki and darted toward Freeza like a moth to a flame. Freeza shot smaller ki blasts at the little ghost which only made them explode. Their blast range was almost as large as Freeza's ki blast which made him send scissor like ki blast towards Gotenks who had already sent another load of kamikaze ghosts his way.

Bardock, who was still reeling from the pain in his broken leg couldn't believe how useless he had become. He was being bested by children who said they were saiyans, but claimed to be from this earth… _Earth!_ Bardock gasp, "Kakarrot! My son… that's the planet he's been sent too!"

Bardock darted his eyes towards Gotenks who was busy laughing as his burst attack crushed both of Freeza's knees, purple blood pumped out of the wound as Freeza cried out in horror. Gotenks looked on almost sadistically as he flew up to Freeza, who was becoming less of a challenge and pulled out two bright pulsating oval shaped ki's. Freeza quivered his lip in anger "you'd be nothing but a speck of dust monkey, if I were in my final form!" he said as he reeled from the pain in his knees.

Gotenks lowered his arms, it did appeal to his saiyan appetite; and what's more he thought _it's what a real warrior would do. _Gotenks looked over at the rather pathetic Freeza "alright… reach your final form, I'll even let ya have the first shot when your all ready." Gotenks chuckled as Freeza's broken; dilapidated body began its transformation.

Bardock watched amazed as for the first time in his life he ever saw Freeza _have to_ do something. Even with his body dilapidated, Freeza transformed to his first forum with relative ease, assuring Gotenks that he was nowhere near his true power. Bardock began to wonder if Gotenks was somehow related to his son, even though that was impossible and maybe he just wanted there to be a connection but he thought; _it couldn't be a coincidence… _

Freeza's next transformation was a horror few if any had ever seen. Gotenks stuck his tongue out in disgust, throwing mocking taunts about the size of his elongated head and curved back. But even though Freeza was growing in his power his missing extremities and wounds did not regenerate. Gotenks yawned waiting for Freeza to finish transforming, if he had known it was going to take him this long to reach his final form he would have just fought him as he was.

"Geez aren't you done yet Freezer?" Gotenks asked scratching the side of his face lightly annoyed.

A brilliant white flame flew up from Freeza. It enveloped them all and through it Freeza's cackles shot threw like lightning bolts. Bardock braced himself for whatever new form Freeza was going to come out as, both Gotenks and Bardock could feel his huge power level that had increased almost three times over. When Freeza finally revealed himself, he had the power of every saiyan ten times over that Bardock had ever met not even King Vegeta on his wildest dream could have ever dreamt attaining such a feat. Bardock was worried.

Gotenks on the other hand seemed excited; at least he didn't have to wait anymore. "Well, I promised you could go fir…" Gotenks was cut off with a blast to his lower shoulder.

"Hey!" he screamed "that's no fair I wasn't ready what kind of warrior are you?" Gotenks nursed his bleeding shoulder with his other arm. Freeza let out a guttural smirk.

"You're not a warrior, you're a monkey and monkeys should be exterminated!" He looked over at Bardock who knew instantly his intentions. He raised his finger "I'll start with your father; I've already killed your king." Bardock furled his brow _King Vegeta's dead. _He didn't have much time to dwell on it; Freeza had already taken his aim on him.

"You fight me and no one else!" Gotenks shouted as he hovered into Freeza's line of sight. Freeza chuckled at the little saiyans declaration but all the same pulled back from his attack on Bardock.

"Fine I suppose I can grant you that, but after I kill you I will kill the rest of your vermin!" Freeza smirked at Bardock "You have a loyal son Bardock, but loyalties can get you killed."

Gotenks face was stern; he had heard enough of Freeza and enveloped himself in a golden flame. Freeza moved his arm is a circular pattern and formed a red halo-like shape above his head; without warning he threw it towards Bardock as it quickly engulfed his frame; wrapping tightly around his torso and chest locking his arms in place. Bardock let out a guttural cry as the bright light began to constrain his body with each twitch.

"An assurance you see, I want to make sure this fight actually is one on one" the grip on Bardock's chest tighten up again; Bardock clenched his teeth "don't worry about me" he said as the pain pulsated from his crushed tibia to his chest.

Gotenks went against his character and everything piccolo have ever said to him about restraint; there was a reason Goku had to destroy this creature and now Gotenks was going too. Goten's emotion surged through as Gotenks propelled a hard blow to Freeza's cheek and followed it with a knuckle punch on top of his head. Freeza plunged downward as Gotenks charged up his kamehameha and fired a long stream onto his head. A bright red ki from under his kamehameha crashed into Gotenks' backside causing a ripple of pain. Gotenks charged with a barrage of ki blasts not even aiming at Freeza, his crippled form was holding together better than Gotenks thought it would.

Freeza had taken damage, more than he would have ever admitted to. He charged forward after the spray of ki was showered onto him from his young opponent. Freeza dove towards Gotenks with his fingers jetted out he arched his arm back aiming for his sternum. Gotenks could hear Bardock's faint moan telling him to move when Freeza's hand crushed into his sternum; there was some pain from the impact but nothing more. Gotenks looked down at Freeza grasping at his shattered fingers, the purple blood spewing out of every possible orifice. His knuckles or at least what was left of them he clutched with is right hand stumbling back from the saiyan, the staggering pain that ripped through him made him lose focus on Bardock giving him some release. Horror began to creep into Freeza's eyes as the impossible finally crossed his mind.

_Could it be? The legendry super saiyan?_

"You're… not a… super saiyan." Freeza said with some defiance but not really convincing himself otherwise.

Gotenks grabbed Freeza's emaciated hand by the wrist; he squeezed it to a fracture like how Freeza did to Bardock's leg. His grip was strong, Freeza couldn't budge. Bardock relieved from his entanglements but not from his pain that only surged now; started to feel a glimmer of hope that Freeza might actually be defeated. Gotenks reveled in the fact that he was sending terror waves throughout Freeza.

"Oh yes, I'm a super saiyan Freezer and what's more _I'm_ going to be the one that puts your lights out for good!" Gotenks released Freeza's wrist and began to charge up his super kamehameha.

_No_ Freeza thought, _how was it possible for a monkey to defeat the greatest power in the universe? _In his final form at his pinnacle of strength Freeza refused to believe to believe that he could be bested. There simply was no creature, not even his father could beat him in a spare so how could this nobody… this saiyan, this monkey. It was inconceivable.

Gotenks knew Freeza wasn't a challenge to him anymore, and he had strung him along long enough and even felt genuinely nervous when he showed up alive after his attack but the fight had stretched long enough and he still didn't know how he was going to get back home or even find out what happened to Piccolo, gosh or even Buu. This was going to be the most he'd ever put into a kamehameha wave; the blast flew from his hands with a brilliant gold beam head on towards Freeza. The light reflected in Gotenks eyes as it barreled towards Freeza barely giving him time to raise up what defense he had left.

Ironically the collision was much like that of an asteroid hitting a planet. The kamehameha eviscerated Freeza, ripping apart and destroying what the first one failed to do. It was draining on Gotenks, especially on his body that was on the verge of separating again but he kept the wave going strong. The last thing he would want is for Freeza to survive, again.

Freeza's power level dropped dramatically, Gotenks could only sense it marginally as the kamehameha started to peter off. Freeza's form was gone; Gotenks couldn't feel anything off of him anymore. A cough from Bardock turned Gotenks head up sharply like he expected Freeza to be there suddenly. Blood trickled out of Bardock's mouth but he managed a thumb up.

"It's over…" Bardock said coughing again. "It's different from what I saw but…" he started to laugh a bit. "I don't… I don't care." He rested his hand on his blood retched bandana. _Tora it's finally over. _

Gotenks powered down, he could feel his body urging to separate again. Freeza was gone and Gotenks was the cause of it, there was satisfaction in that. Gotenks began to separate; the pain in his shoulder slowly dissipating as Goten and Trunks reformed as themselves. Bardock watched as the two powerful boys returned before his eyes, he smiled when he saw Goten.

"Man that was some fight!" Trunks said excitedly making punching motions.

"Yeah!" Goten agreed. They both looked over at Bardock who was barely keeping himself afloat. "Well what do we do now Trunks?" Goten looked up at Trunks who was trying to figure out their next move.

"Well, you could go to Vejitasai" Bardock started. "We have rejuvenation tanks there that can heal your body, I know I need one." Bardock clutched the side of his torso as he floated over to them. Goten grabbed his side, Bardock wanted to call him Kakarrot but instead he just thanked him.

"Trunks we should go there, he's hurt really bad." Goten pleaded with his eyes. There was nothing else; _well it's not like we know how to get home anyway. _ Trunks agreed and the three of them started making their way towards the giant red planet.

End of Chapter


	4. Bardock Returns as a Savior

A/N: I guess some people were confused about the power levels, well specifically Freeza's reading of Gotenks power level. But you have to remember this is almost thirty years before Goku faced Freeza on Namek so there's going to be a difference. Plus as you probably can tell I'm not that concerned with PL there inconsistent in cannon anyway. Enjoy!

**Part II**

The atmosphere on the red planet was heavy compared to being in space, Trunks and Goten instantly felt the burden they were carrying increase slightly. The air was thick, humid and dirty; everything looked like it was constantly under construction as if there was never an ancestral history in any of the buildings. Trunks wondered why anyone would _willingly_ live here, it was a dump; nothing compared to earth. Goten surveyed the landscaped, it appeared to be as empty as the buildings that stood upon it. A ghost town. Goten looked at Trunks worried. "Maybe Majin Buu did come here and he turned all the saiyans into chocolate!" Trunks rolled his eyes moving a bit in front of Goten dropping Bardock's arm in the process. "Don't be stupid Goten, if Majin Buu were here don't you think we'd hear his stupid laughing and _I'd_ be able to feel his power level." He professed with a grin. Goten frowned taking a swing at Trunks when they both heard a guttural groan from Bardock.

"They're probably still in the bunker, there's a mess hall down there and…" Goten cling to his arm as Bardock coughed up thick wads of blood; his tensed breathing made him wonder if his lungs had been puncture by his crushed ribs.

"Hey where are we supposed to be taking ya to get healed? Cuz I don't see any hospitals!" trunks said impatient as ever, arms crossed over his chest tapping the air with his toes. Bardock pointed to the one building whose lights were fully working. Vejitasai did look like it had been worked over by something; more than just neglect and nature like a battle had been raging down here while their fight with Freeza was going on. "What happened here?" Goten asked as they floated towards the building. Bardock asked himself the same question but could only imagine Freeza's goons had something to do with it. When they reached the landing deck of the medical ward Trunks ran inside to see if there actually was anybody alive, to his surprise it didn't take long. A doctor, Trunks supposed; sat at a desk as blind as his grandfather was to the world around him.

"Hey you, ah… I need your help, I've got an injured guy and I'm pretty sure he's going to die if he hasn't died already." Trunks said grabbing the doctor's wrist leading him out to the landing deck. Goten had laid Bardock down on the ground when Trunks and the doctor came running out. "Bardock!" the doctor shouted amazed "I… I can't believe you're alive!" he moved towards him quickly. "He's unconscious" Goten stood over the doctor who realized that the moment he touched him. The boy was Bardock's polar opposite in every way but his face, his placid smile through him back a bit.

"Kakarrot… you, I thought you were… but you couldn't be…"

"Look, we're not his kids; we're not even from this dump!" Trunks started as the doctor turned around and looked sharply at the boy who had pulled him out there. "But make no mistake we are saiyans, and this one needs to be healed." He said with a smirk that the doctor had seen plenty of times from many other saiyans. Goten and Trunks grabbed Bardock's arms as the doctor lead them into the medical ward and into the closest rejuvenation tank. After inputting many calculations water began to fill into the tank Trunks watched as the doctor observed Bardock's heart monitor with hesitation. _He has been on missions where I was surprised he lived at all but this is very serious._ "He is going to be in there for at least a few hours." Goten looked worried, Trunks on the other hand was more curious.

"What happened here? I mean this place looks like a war hit it. The doctor looked at Trunks with some reservation before he answered. "Vejitasai has always been a planet under construction, more so when Lord Freeza took control… the poor bastards." He looked over at Bardock as his infliction of tone lowered. "When I first came here it was only slightly better, these saiyans fight to the death." Goten placed his hand over the tank above Bardock's he really did feel a sense of connection between them not just because he resemble his deceased father but because he saw how much he cared about saving his home planet, his family and that's exactly what Goten and Trunks were doing when they were fighting against Majin Buu.

Trunks rolled his eyes obviously that wasn't the answered he wanted to hear from the good doctor. "Look, you don't have to worry bout' Freezer anymore I took care of him for ya." Trunks said with a glint in his eye that made Goten smack him. "Don't ya me _we _took care of him?" Goten knitted his brows and crossed his arms transversely over his chest. Trunks rubbed the sore spot on his cheek, _why's he so worked up? _"Goten helped" Trunks said as his cheeks turned beet red the more he rubbed his hand up and down, if he were Pinocchio his nose would be well grown at this point; Trunks managed to flash a cheesy smile. The doctor, like must people in the boy's life was astonish at the boys' ability. These Saiyan children were like no other the doctor had seen, not even in the nobility and what's more dumbfounding is they claim to be from somewhere else entirely!

Trunks sustained his original question to the doctor. "I want to know what happened to the people here; I mean they can't all be dead can they?" Goten was eager to know as well. The spiked heart ratings Bardock gave off caught the doctor's attention a moment, he through his fingers on the keys returning them to normal within seconds. The doctor looked back over at the boys shaking his head to Trunks' earlier query, "oh no, most are down in the lower bunkers; most of this world is conducted under the soil only the older buildings and the palace remain on the surface and obviously the medical ward." Trunks' eyes bulged. "The, the palace? Like where a king lives?" his hesitation was bizarre to the doctor who even on his home planet had had a king, who ruled from his palace, was this so uncommon?

"Yes, but the king and the crown prince are off planet at the moment and I couldn't say for sure but I imagine it was something for Freeza." Trunks looked as if he would faint.

"Da… I mean the prince is… here or off the planet somewhere?" Trunks sounded like he heard the name of his rival and was terrified at the idea of the prince at least that's the impression the doctor was getting from the words that were fumbling out of his mouth. Goten looked confusingly at Trunks, he knew he remembered Trunks telling him a story about his father being a prince of his planet which was where they were so…

"Hey Trunks isn't your dad a prin…" Trunks grabbed Goten by the ears pulling down on them hard before slapping his hand over his mouth. The doctor watched the boys display with divided interest as Bardock's heart rate kept jumping all over the place. Trunks took the doctors distraction and pulled Goten over to the door out of ear shot, he hoped; he didn't have Piccolo's long unending ability to hear things from anywhere. He smacked Goten on the head which Goten quickly rubbed his head asking why.

"You idiot! What were you thinking?" Trunks threw his arms onto his hips as Goten got ready for another tongue lashing.

"I'm sorry Trunks but I don't know what I did, what are you trying to keep a secret?" Goten felt the throbbing on his head from Trunks' wallop pulsate like a beating heart.

"Don't be stupid Goten, I know it's difficult for you; but how do you think it sound if I walked in there saying _oh hey my name's Trunks I'm from the future and even though I'm from a different planet your prince is my dad!_" The way Trunks plainly stated it did make it seem like it would be pretty unbelievable, neither of them could explain how they even got there let alone explain how that would make sense to the doctor or anyone else who heard it.

"I'm sorry Trunks" Goten said at length. He looked over at the doctor who had noticed the boys had moved away. "Trunks, since we're in the past do you think Bardock is somehow related to my dad? " Trunks lifted his eyes at the rejuvenation tank that held the unconscious saiyan. He shrugged his shoulders "maybe, he does look like your dad but don't mention it to anyone they already know we're not locals." Trunks said as he stalked back over to the doctor. Goten murmured under his breath as he followed, _yeah no thanks to you. _

"Yo doc!" Trunks said as he approached the doctor who just realized at that moment he had never introduced himself, though with what transpired it was understandable. "Dr. Planthor" he interrupted as Trunks motioned his hands into the air in disrespect. "Whatever, is there a place we can get some grub cause I'm starving!" Planthor figured the boys wouldn't be interested in Calaii's rich vegetation diet that he was used to and allotted to keep under Freeza's rule; no, he assumed like most saiyans they would want to eat something high in protein and fats the only thing they were ever interested in eating. Planthor began to think it was ironic that saiyans were the vegetable planet when that was the last thing you would find there. Perhaps planet meat that Bardock had barely survived from a few days before was their true appellation.

"If you take the stairs" he motioned past the doors with his hands "all the way to the ground floor, go down the corridor and there's the mess hall it should still be opened." Trunks and Goten didn't need any more encouragement they engulfed themselves in golden ki and headed for the stairwell racing each other to see who could reach the bottom first; everything was a competition for them and simply getting something to eat was treated no different if they were training for a tournament or learning the fusion dance. Trunks' was definitely his father's son as every inch he had on Goten was a mile and he laughed with victory when he burst through the mess hall first. Goten was never a sore loser it was just exacerbating how Trunks' would always carry on like he won a marathon across the universe.

"Eat my dust slow poke!" Trunks chanted as Goten waved off his boosting and peered around the room. It was creepy how empty it was, like it had been abandoned after a fire alarm had been pulled. Plates and empty cups were sprawled all over the place; the saiyans who had been there left there in a hurry leaving the room in silent tatters. Trunks and Goten shook off the eerie feeling; the food that the doctor promised in a buffet style setup looked pretty appetizing to the two hungry saiyans even if it was a bit cold. That was hardly noticed as both boys began to gabble down the food without stopping to taste it. It was almost common law that food was a saiyans direct link to recovering from any battle; it could bring them back from the brink of death or defeat and was the main reason why they needed so much of it, Trunks rubbed his swollen belly after he had satisfied his hunger. A burp escaped from Goten and he slide onto the floor next to Trunks with a crooked smile on his face; the emptiness of the room didn't seem to even bother them anymore, they were after all the strongest beings on Vejitasai or even possibly the universe what was there for them to be afraid of? Trunks pushed himself up by his arms, and looked at Goten with a toothy grin. Even more than a great meal Trunks loved going on escapades; he had inherited his mother's sense of adventure and boy was he going to go on one now.

"Goten let's check this place out, maybe we'll even find out where all the other saiyans are hiding." Trunks jumped to his feet excited, Goten looked up from the floor still sore from eating too much.

"But Trunks Bardock said they were in a bunker somewhere, shouldn't we wait till he gets out of that tank to…" Trunks lend in cutting Goten off.

"No Goten we shouldn't, who really cares anyway I just want to check this pace out. It's where my dad was prince so I want to see it!" Trunks' voice turned demanding, his body became engulfed with golden ki threating to leave Goten behind. Goten climbed to his feet, he often agreed to Trunks' hair brain ideas just to pacify him but they always seemed to ended up having fun even at the cost of getting into trouble.

"Okay I'm coming too!" Goten's body turned the golden color that was already around Trunks' form. They both dashed for the door Trunks was so proud of reaching first when they initially got there, keeping in toe with each other as they hurried up the hall in the opposite direction they originally came. The air had become thicker the faster and further they ran, the bleak walls were unending and not appealing to Trunks' adventurous nature; leaving only one option. A small light formed around the ki from Trunks' palm, stopping Goten dead in his tracks he looked on has he saw his friend's ki expand larger as he forced it upwards and out through the wall next to them. Trunks looked over at Goten waving him to come along. The boys peered through the other side the hole Trunks had made with his blast blew out not only the wall but the entire room next to it which by the burned shards that remained appeared to have been bedding for the medical ward.

"Oops, guess I went a bit overboard." Trunks rubbed the side of his face with an embarrassed laugh.

Goten hovered over the wreckage, Trunks' blasts had pierced the exterior wall that revealed the red planet once again to the boys eyes. The air was more humid than being in the hallway, it was evident saiyans built up a tolerance for this atmosphere in infancy; it was akin to training in the gravity room where the humidity often made Trunks nauseous when he trained with his father. Trunks sucked in as much air as his body could take; he was determined to have the lungs of a pure bred saiyan.

"Where are we going Trunks?" Goten raised his hand over his eyes looking out over the horizon. The pommelled structures didn't inspire curiosity for Goten, Trunks on the other hand knew where he wanted to explore.

"We're going over there; can't you feel that ki Goten?" He could feel it steadily rising in the direction that Trunks pointed. It didn't feel like a threat but it was intriguing none the less.

"Who do you think it is?" Goten looked over at Trunks who could only guess.

"I don't know, maybe it's more saiyans or maybe it's a bad guy; who cares let's just go find out!" Trunks' flared up his ki the golden aura transformed his hair blonde making Goten follow suit as they both race towards the energy they sensed.

"Trunks if it is a bad person should we fuse first?" Goten wasn't sure if, whoever they were going to meet over there could hide their power levels like they could but wanted to make sure they had the upper hand either way.

"No way Goten we're much stronger, we beat that Freezer guy so whoever is over there wouldn't stand a chance!" Trunks was naturally smug about his abilities in combat, looking at his father Vegeta it's no surprise where he got it from; but he was right to be confident, they did beat Freeza the tyrant of the universe, so what did they have to worry about?

They passed over red cliffs that dipped into the ridged valleys; passing what looked to be was once an open and thriving market place and now as vacant as the mess hall was. The energy was pouring in from the outcrops; its host which the boys realized was at least three people, was beyond the ghost city. Thankfully a huge power boost shot over the ridge, Trunks grabbed Goten by the wrist instinctively hiding on the soft soil adjacent to the huge rocks. The chi felt saiyan so Trunks wasn't worried about running into some renegade Freeza goon. Goten wiggled his hand free from Trunks' grip; Trunks slammed his finger in a quiet murmur over his lips. The three saiyans stood idle, how Trunks had felt any source of energy from them was quickly becoming a mystery to him. One of the saiyans, a female pulled a sword from its sheath and started charging at her male cohort who quickly blocked the attack with an energy blast throwing her hard against the ground.

"What are they doing?" Goten asked in a hushed voiced. Their display was almost comical, Goten wanted to laugh out but he kept his snickers low.

"I…I couldn't say Goten" Trunks was perplexed, he had felt sizable displays of ki but surely it couldn't be from these people.

The female saiyan spit out blood before rising to her feet again. Trunks powered down seeing that whatever he sensed was gone, there was no point watching these amateurs wrestle each other. He cursed himself for not mediating long hours like Piccolo always harped to keep his senses at their apex. Goten was as much at fault, Trunks reasoned _he thought they were strong too._ A noise shot off from the scouter on the thick torso saiyan, he turned his head right at Trunks who was preoccupied and didn't even realize that he had been discovered.

"Hey!" he shouted. Goten nudged Trunks shaking him out of his distraction. Trunks hated being caught off guard his father had told him enough times it was the sign of a weakling and he definitely wasn't a weakling.

"Hey yourself!" Trunks shouted back.

"What are you kids doing out of the bunker? Don't you know we're in a really dangerous situation with Lord Freeza?" The large saiyan stalked towards the boys with a stern authority he apparently thought he had. Trunks cocked his brow _is this guy nuts? _

"Look ya big ape you don't have ta worry bout' Freezer anymore, me and Goten took care of him." Trunks let the crease in his smirk expand to show his teeth. Goten let out a giggle scratching the side of his head in a bit of humility, it seemed this was just the beginning of Trunks' congratulation tour that even Mr. Satan couldn't compete with.

The three saiyans turned looking at each other in uncontained laughter. The big oaf of the group slapped Goten playfully on the side pointing over at Trunks "Don't make me laugh kid, I was there and I sure don't remember you!" The others smirked as he carried on a ruckus. Trunks had had enough of this nobody who clearly didn't stay around long enough to see him wipe the floor with Freezer's ass. The guy was barely keeping his power level at eight hundred and would frankly be too weak for Trunks to even bother with. Trunks spiked up his ki as a testament to the oaf that he was a force to be reckoned with, his scouter buzzed to life climbing to levels the saiyan had never read in another being before. Trunks decided to stop just short of ascended saiyan as by the expression on the man's face he had proved his point.

"What… what are you?" he asked with a tremble in his timbre.

Goten extended his arms outward from Trunks to the large saiyan standing in front of them. He had always been the more sober of the two and right now that was playing into the big guy's favor. "Hey Trunks' is telling the truth, we did beat Freezer and… and he hurt Bardock really bad!" Goten receded his arms a bit, the saiyan glanced back at the other two saiyans at the mention of Bardock's name.

"Bardock… you know Bardock? Then you… your hair… were you the golden fighter… you must have aided Bardock in saving Vejitasai…" he said with the vigor of a loyal servant. The saiyan and his comrades dropped to their knees, almost worshipping the boys with graduate contradictory to their previous mocking. Trunks' loved to be praised for his efforts; he was a ham if there ever was one. He stood with puffed outright shoulders as the saiyans with little pride recounted their inexactitude. Goten could only watch with embarrassment hidden in his chuckles.

Trunks did still want to know one thing _how was it that they had given off higher power levels earlier?_ It was clear these saiyans were trained killers but they still only had a base power level that at most went to eleven hundred. So how did Trunks feel such a greater power before? Was he really imagining it? Trunks had done little to nothing to convince these saiyans he was he was their savior, but how was it he couldn't figure out how they suppressed their power? He pointed at the big brute who rose with obedience. "Are you suppressing your power… cause there's no way you would have even stood a chance against Freezer" the question garnered confused looks from the saiyans, the brute in front edged his finger on his scouter drumming for an answer.

"What do you mean suppress our power levels?" Trunks could see the big brute was dumber than he looked. The female saiyan stepped forward with seemingly more familiarity on the subject at hand than her comrades. "I've heard of level suppression before… when I was an elite there was one or two saiyans who managed to hide their true powers especially after the Paragus incident." Trunks didn't know who she was referring to but none the less he was glad he wasn't imagining things. "So it's your power I felt, you shouldn't hide it just cause this guys are weaklings." Trunks was very crash when he spoke, the woman's cheeks speckled red at the comment she looked over at the larger saiyan who let out a grunt. "I'm not; I mean I never learned how to suppress my power…though I heard Bardock could…so" she looked up noticing the bemused look on Trunks' face; he had heard enough of the great Bardock for one sitting.

"Listen…" Trunks started before his annoyance reached through his voice. "I'll admit Bardock did help us, but that doesn't make me his sidekick!" Goten tried to ease Trunks down before he started a tirade of insults that would have gotten him nowhere. The female saiyan looked at Trunks flabbergasted, she was well aware of a saiyans pride but this boy took the cake, she had been with elites who weren't as pig headed. If pride alone were the secret to a saiyan's strength they could have toppled the mighty Freeza well before he was even able to subjugate the saiyan race. Trunks nudged Goten lightly with his back palm, "let's get outta here Goten, their nothing but weaklings." Goten had been concerned with Bardock's welfare since the boys left to get food at the mess hall, _perhaps he had been healed now _it sparked his determination to return immediately.

"You're right Trunks lets go back…" Goten powered up; taking to the air. Trunks didn't even bother with a departure, hurrying to catch up with Goten who was not slowing down to keep pace with him. Goten not wanting to be swayed by Trunks wanting to go find out where that big power level was actually coming from tried to at least stay out of his ear shot though he could repeatedly hear Trunks calling his name.

"Goten…. Wait for me!"

Hours had passed since the boys had disappeared to the mess hall down stairs. Dr. Planthor hadn't batted an eye at their absents since the room returned to its natural calmness; lighten by the nuances of the medical machines. Bardock had been a resident in the medical ward numerous times in the past so this was practically routine for him. Dr. Planthor was however surprised at the increasingly new ways Bardock managed to injure his body so completely and still stay alive long enough to make it to medical attention. _And you said you weren't that smart…_ _clearly we have different ideas of what that means… _Planthor laughed slightly to himself; though he had never had more than a casual doctor- patient conversation with Bardock he could tell he was different from the other saiyans, even the ones in his troop; who were comparatively nice by saiyan standards. Strange though he was a servant to lord Freeza just like the saiyans were, _were _being the operative if those boys were to be believed. Yet most of his colleagues and probably most saiyans thought less of each other when the reality was they all were servants to a master. That's what really made Bardock different; he had realized long ago they were all caged animals.

Bardock's heart monitor broke the placidity of the room; the calculations that were running through the computer, sending the alert signal into haywire that the rejuvenation tank had completed its cycle and was ready to open. Planthor input the code that would open the hatch and watched as the last of the water- like application drained out of the tank. It looked as if Bardock would have fresh scars on his body, Planthor could see big coil marks across him abdomen and over his left arm were even the technology adopted from the Truffles couldn't completely erase the wound. Whatever had transpired in space it was evident it was nothing like Bardock had ever encountered before. Planthor opened the latch and with sudden aoristic candor Bardock's eyes shot open, looking almost possessed he grabbed at the breathing apparatus pulling it off and stopping the air flow. Planthor reached out to help him to his feet but Bardock pushed away from him. He stepped out on the cold floor reacting to the change in climate with a loud gruff. Bardock could still feel some ache in his lower leg that only hours earlier had been a broken mess of tissue and bone. Dr. Planthor was only able to scrounge up a regular unit issue inform instead of Bardock's normal attire, somehow the medical ward's wardrobe storage unit was destroyed.

"Bardock are alright… those were… serious injuries you incurred." Planthor turned away to give Bardock privacy as he slid on the thick blue latex pants, not even bothering to pat his body down dry.

"I'm fine doctor" he spied his eyes about the room. "Where are those two boys that brought me here? Are they gone already?' he pushed the expandable armor over his head pulling it tight at his waist with his tail. Dr. Planthor shrugged his shoulders as he closed the latch.

"They left several hours ago to get something to eat, I haven't seen them since." Dr. Planthor had in truth been glad they were gone; the one boy had a mouth on him and an arrogance that only the young prince could match. Quietness was always something he held important especially while working; on the other hand the other boy could have been a dead ringer for Kakarrot if he were a few years older.

"Bardock, since you brought it up where did you meet these boys; I know they're not from Vejitasai" Bardock looked at Planthor surprised, they had never had a conversation like his before and he really didn't know how to respond.

"I didn't meet them anywhere… they just appeared as I was confronting Freeza." The tone of his voice flushed low at the mention of the former tyrant.

"Appeared? You mean in a ship?"

"No I mean they just appeared out of nowhere, it maybe possible that….that… they are the saiyans from legend." Bardock could think of no other reason, he haven't had a vision of either of them in the future, well he hadn't had a vision in quite a while, he wasn't even sure if he still had the ability too. But as he sat in the rejuvenation tank he pour over the idea that not only were the boy's saiyans from another planet but maybe even another time.

"But Bardock that's impossible, matter can't just appear." The doctor laughed at Bardock's expense but he hardly notice, Bardock sat down starring at the white angular boots wishing a vision would tell him what to do next. Had he lived and seen the destruction of his world as a mere faded memory only to get hammered with another puzzling mystery? _What are these boys to me? _

Bickering ascended from outside the launch pad window. Goten's face was ashen from a blast attack from behind. His sour demeanor kept Trunks in tosses; though Trunks was sporting a shiner no doubt from his unprovoked attack. "Well next time ya'll stop when I call out to ya!" Trunks seemed almost delighted in his friends torture; but Goten wasn't one to back down he started attacking with a move his brother had taught him, though was well known to Trunks "KA…MA..." the sound of Goten's voice brought Bardock to his feet, he walked over to where he heard the boys ignoring Dr. Planthor's pleas to rest a while longer. "HA…MA…" He walked out to the platform catching Trunks' glaze first, the boy returned a glare but pointed his finger up distracting Goten from his onslaught.

"Bardock… You're okay!" Bardock was not the type of man that usually smiled; he had mastered frowning before he could walk, but this boy always managed a smirk from him. The boys were more powerful than any saiyan on the planet yet he had an innocence to him that no saiyan, not even a saiyan child had.

"Yeah kid I' am I made it..."

"Yeah that's great" Trunks curled his words with sarcasm. Bardock let it side, if the boy really was the legendry saiyan he didn't really care what he thought of him personally. It was no doubt mutual.

"We ran into a couple of your buddies about an hour ago, they seem to think that I was your sidekick…I wonder where they got that idea?" Trunks lifted his brow up as he smirked, Bardock felt like he was being talked down to by Prince Vegeta, who despite being Freeza's little pet still managed to be high and mighty… the little snot.

"I don't have 'buddies' as you call them, so I don't know who you're talking about" Bardock crossed his arms over his chest; Trunks didn't even seem disrupted by his response. He walked towards him with a candor the boy had cemented in their battle with Freeza.

"Well they seem to know you, I don't care I just don't want a nasty rumor starting…" His annunciation made clear that it was more than a statement but a probable threat.

"Bardock!" Planthor called from inside the medical ward "on…on the radio listen, they're talking about you!" Bardock looked at Trunks before walking into the ward; Planthor turned up the static from the receiver, the broadcast was sketchy but by law it reached everywhere on the planet so squads would know at a moment's notice when they were to leave for a planet purging. Trunks and Goten followed in just as Planthor got the station stabilize. The announcer had already been through a round of his speech when he repeated:

"_Yes it's true my brothers and sisters we are finally liberated, the tyrant Freeza is dead, and what's even more amazing is that it was one of our own that destroyed the bastard! A third class soldier called Bardock. _

Trunks darted his eyes at Bardock at the mention of his name; "No friends huh?"he breathed out a sigh.

"_Unfortunately there has been no word on his Royal Highness King Vegeta, the prince or the elites that left with him; but ten of our elite soldiers have at this moment gone to find out what has become of our king..." _

Trunks' attention turned when the prince was mentioned, the punk face had rescinded to concern and Bardock for one was shocked to see the boy so silent.

"_A report just came in… king Vegeta…is…dead…. The elites as well… the prince's whereabouts are unconfirmed at the moment…" _

Trunks wanted to turn the radio off; the announcer had been nothing but a liar but what if it was true? What if his dad was _unconfirmed, _what if? … Bardock punched the receiver. It sputtered as little shock waves danced around it causing it too finally collapse, both Trunks and Goten looked at the commotion in bewilderment. Bardock popped his knuckles "I don't know why they think I defeated Freeza; they didn't get it from me." Trunks finally found something likable about him.

End of Chapter.

Vegeta will make his debut in the next chapter!


	5. The Saiyan Prince is Now King

vdsmk

A/N: I would just like to thank the people who have taken the time to leave comments and follows. Thank you for your suggestions but Goku isn't going to appear in this story; he doesn't get to be the hero this time. Please enjoy Goten and Trunks adventure as they are a great duo and ripe for comedy imo.

Netaam is a pun on two Japanese words for "feeling" making the planet be planet of feelings.

I don't own DBZ

The soul of a saiyan in battle, his mantra is to kill or die with honor. Every opponent worthy is given that honor, therefore joining their brethren in the cycle of blood that has made the saiyan army the individual horror cried out from their victims when they ravish planets of lives and rape the others of their dignity. That was the sole reminder the prince had with him the day he was given to the tyrant of the universe, his sole tie to his people and his pride. His compliance was met when Freeza threaten his father's life. But the prince would quickly prove his own brand of cold and calculating obedience that would not only put him in the top tier of elite fighters in the planet trade organization, but it also made him Freeza's favorite for rooting out planets that showed any sort of resistance that were beneath the pinnacle of the elites; always reminding the young prince that no saiyan would ever reach that plateau. But every battle felt invigorating; every victory was a skill under his belt, the scattered bodies were trophies he kept for himself because he was there, not a coward, he had honor and pride.

Netaam was a planet well known for its converted soil energy. Everything there was made from converted energy; making it one of the most attractive planets on the market. Freeza could use the Netaamians technology for his own swelling army and make huge revenues from its purging. It was impressive to say the least; that much the prince admitted when he stepped out of his space pod. But the Netaamians, they were proof that Freeza had a terribly evil sense of humor. How could any elite warrior be sent to destroy such weaklings? Serendipitously the planet's lunar cycle was similar to Vejitasai and luckily tonight was a full moon. The Netaamians wrapped safe in their technology had no idea the loud echoing roar that rippled over the planet would be the last thing any of them ever heard again.

It always ended fast. The carnage, the enjoyment of battle was orgasmic, it was saiyan; the reason he had to fight, it flowed through his veins as much as his own blood did. And the bodies, oh the bodies they fell to the ground and the sound they made under his might did tantalize him. The cries of the dead would be the encore to each strike and by the end he would feel bitter about how it wasn't anything a saiyan baby couldn't do. Why couldn't he get the challenges that where offered to saiyans of much lower rank? Was Freeza was deliberately trying to bring him to his knees, Vegeta the Prince of Saiyans? No matter he thought; bringing back his composure he was earning a reputation for. Vegeta sunk down on a boulder; he always hated the waiting part. Zarbon always made sure to take his time approving his confirmations, he had made his nuance clear to the prince the moment they met and Vegeta vowed to himself that the snake would met his end by a saiyan hand. The bodies that encompassed his throne began to seep out an odor that drew in its only vulture; Prince Vegeta did love the smell of death even if it was cheaply acquired. A tinge of exhaustion strained through his body; taking out the garbage was beginning to make his muscles sore and waiting for Zarbon's childish response was becoming incessantly irritating. He let the hot air in his throat escape, he had his soldier's rationing tucked in his armor but, ehh he never could stand the taste of the protein supplements. They would never had the nuances of the tasty feasts he was used to in his father's banquet hall, but what they lacked in taste they made up for in for in their herbal remedies.

Vegeta flicked his scouter to see if Zarbon had sent the necessary code for docking; _bastard_, _does he think I'm going to wait forever? _His cold throne had become nothing but a thorn in his side waiting for the likes of that serpent to give him the thumbs up so he could get out of this miserable place and get some decent food. Vegeta stalked over to his pod, the glare of the full moon was ever present and though a noble, he could control himself in his converted form. It was always harder to communicate through the scouter in oozaru form; this naturally would be when Zarbon would finally answer. Vegeta pounded the code into the pod opening the latch; he sunk into the chair pulling the scouter off his head as he inputted his intended coordinates into the main computer.

He still had to wait for that bastard though, this…this was a humiliation he couldn't, wouldn't let Zarbon live much longer for… regardless of Freeza.

Bardock knew the gravity of the situation he'd been thrown in. Whoever had named him defender of the universe either hated him with a passion or was a coward with a big mouth and a wide audience, probably the latter. He knew he had some popularity from the third ranks, his squad besting the supposed "best" of Freeza's elite that had become the battle whispers of lower lever soldiers who secretly cheered him on hoping by proxy he would defeat Freeza. But they would never actually voice it as a fact would they? Would they actually say they _saw_ him give Freeza the final death blow?

Goten laced his hand around Bardock's grip; his touch pulled him from his thoughts, the boy was a comfort that he didn't know how to describe. All he could do was tousle the boy's hair stimulating his all too familiar giggle. Trunks had relented his stance, they had come to a silent agreement between the two of them; a stoic understanding, a subtle respect between the two warriors that anyone could read in their stern glances. Trunks opened his mouth to say something when Bardock's eyes glazed over like he had been struck from behind, he collapsed to his knees with his arms firm in front of him. Cold sweats poured out from his body, Goten rushed to his side repeating with a washed out sound what was wrong. Before the doctor could grab the portable heart monitor Bardock threw up his hand. His breathing had increased to the point of exhaustion, but he shook his head at the doctor who tried to fight Bardock's insistence. A smile sprawled over his face.

"I just had a vision…"

"So you got your powers back?" Trunks smirked as Bardock leaned against his hunched knees.

"Yeah, and I know where the other saiyans are."

"Where are they?" Goten piped trying to help Bardock along.

"There in the bunker like I told you before, but it seems they went there under false pretenses." Bardock let the chuckle fall out from his throat. Trunks pointed his eyebrow thinking the exhaustion must have gotten the better of his senses.

"So why is it so funny?" Trunks thought there might be an after effect from the machine he spent the better part of the day in.

"It isn't funny at all, I… was just glad I hadn't lost my sight. It's the only connection I have to Kakarott…" he steadied himself on his palm. Trunks had heard Bardock say that name before but didn't think much of it, he still didn't think much of it but something nagged at the back of him mind. Hadn't his father said that name before? At the Worlds Martial Arts Tournament perhaps? But that would mean that this guy had some sort of connection with… Trunks froze his neurons when it finally hit him. _Of course! We're in the past _it had to be, no genetic lottery could be that coincidental. _Then Kakarrot is Goku? _

Now Trunks had a secret of his own and when he wanted something from Goten in the near future he could just lord it over him that _he knows something about Bardock _and Goten would do anything to know. How prefect was this? Trunks kept his grin bright across his face, inside though he was laughing at his new power but like any attack he had to spring it at the perfect time.

"So Bardock where are those saiyans huh?" Trunks brushed his thumb by his nose.

"I think it would be better if I just showed you." Bardock took Goten by his palm and grabbed Trunks' wrist. His vision spilled into the boys head as if it were their own memory. They saw the saiyans cowered down in the bunker, most looked annoyed and very tense; the droll of the room left little to understand what was going on outside of it. One of the female saiyans who pushed her way to the front of the room asked a burly creature with stocky red arms and horns that framed his face why they were being corralled into a room like cattle. He said nothing to her but that it was "Freeza's orders" she only relented when a young male saiyan steadied her temper and the room continued to fill. Then a time elapse and another vision showed a misty haze falling onto the saiyans in the room, it had a physical effect on them as they all started grabbing their ears and seemed to be trying to stop an inaudible noise. Suddenly several saiyans in the back transformed into their oozaru form, losing all control of their senses and turned onto the other saiyans with a fierceness that could not be restrained.

The bashed in heads of the saiyans unfortunate enough to be nearest to the changed oozarus' lead the weary ones to climb up tables trying to reach the ones who had already clogged the ceiling. The lighting attacks from the oozarus' didn't breech the walls giving room for escape; the mist that had entered the room had coated the walls with a thick shield, trapping everyone inside. When the calamity subsided in another vision the survivors laid against the wall; a line divided between the two sides their shabby appearance piercing the exposed saiyans crouched and confused at all the madness that had ensued in front of them.

Trunks jerked free of Bardock's grip, the tone of what sieged through his mind was unsurmountable. Goten's eyes were still clenched shut; his lips trembled at the visage that still played out in his mind. The full of Bardock's eyes showed deeply in Trunk's frenzied expression. He began to wonder if sharing his vision was the best idea. Trunks' faces deepen and he turned sharply towards Bardock. "Is that happening right now or in the future?" Trunks' voice was a strange calm; Bardock released Goten from his palm shaking his head. He surmised it was the future, but the future was different now, different from the vision he had of Kakarrot defeating Freeza and he dying with Vejitasai. "I don't think it's either, their probably in the bunker but this vision…I think it's changed, changed because you defeated Freeza." Trunks gritted his teeth, nothing made any sense. "Then why does every body think you killed Freeza? Do ya have a vision for that?" Trunks' words stung in Bardock's ears. It was true he certainly didn't defeat Freeza, but did this altered vision mean that something had changed? Bardock already knew the future was changed by the boys being there, but was his knowledge of the future also retroactively changing what was happening in the present? "I… I don't know" as simple as it was it was true.

"Well that's great, tell me something new 'you don't know' when do you!" Trunks buried the temptation in his stomach to cry out. His frustration with the saiyan brimming again. Goten cradled his arms against his chest trying to break the air. "If there are saiyans in that bunker we should see for our self's if the vision is real or not." Trunks dragged his foot along the floor; kicking it into the air. "Well that's what we were going to do anyway Goten." He emphasized his tone towards Bardock who heard the inflections perfectly. _What a brat._

"Let's go, they looked like they were in the south bunker" Bardock charged off towards the landing port, with his body in fine tune condition he had never felt better in the air. Trunks and Goten weren't far on his coat tails; the thick saiyan air in his lungs was like a kiss from a lover, his blood pulsing in tune with his adrenaline; it was great to be flying again. The clamoring from the two boys pushed Bardock to speed up, Trunks was more than an earful and being able to sense ki now he could tell they were close by. He descended toward a building that unlike the others around it looked fairly new. Trunks and Goten could feel the immense amount of power levels from inside; most of them were low, too low even compared to the saiyans they had encountered earlier.

"There's a side door on the left that has a co…" Trunks' broke Bardock off when a blast of light emitted from his palm; Goten joined in creating a huge crater on the smooth surface of the building.

"This is much faster, plus codes are… unreliable." Trunks had to hand the coolness of the last line to a movie he watched once with his father, Bardock watched the boys pierce through all three tons of Freeza's supplanted rock ore. The dust was immense and covered them all like a cloud; it became a thick haze that only entering the lodge would prove relief. Aside from the blast, damage to the building's interior was intact. That wasn't what was astonishing; inside the building it looked look like decades had passed a milky white ash covered the floor to the ceiling, giving the room a haunting coldness. It was insurmountable, but it seemed as if the saiyans had disappeared. As they approached the main bunker the white haze rose from the floor like dry ice, it drew towards them as if _sensing _their presence and moving on its own accordance. Bardock could feel his instincts telling him that the white haze wasn't something to under estimate.

"What… is it?" Goten walked further in letting the white mist surround him like it was falling snow. He reached his hand in brushing the surface as it fell away like fallen ash. "It feels really funny" he cupped the white ash in his hand tossing it around like a child. Trunks' curiosity lent him to scooping the white misty ash into his palm fingering it. Bardock just couldn't shake his initial hesitation with the mysterious white ash, his tail curled tighter around his waist as he carefully made his way towards the boys. His instincts heighten when his boot graze a bump in the mist, he darted his eyes down afraid to know he was right. It was strange how the boys seemed to be oblivious to their own instincts; were they impervious to nature as well as to the cosmos? Bardock led his hand towards his boot, flicking aside the white cinders with the tips of his fingers, his hand grazed a darken tip of another. He reached further discovering the hand, grey and cold from death. His motions were immediate, he turned towards Goten and Trunks both unaware of Bardock's discovery, "The…the saiyans are under the ash!"

It had been nearly an hour since the on call button started flicking red; Vegeta had left that miserable planet Netaam five hours earlier without Zarbon's blessing but that spineless toad was going to rue the day he dared deify the Prince of the Saiyans. He nestled in his seat; the coordinate's destination listed the trip to Freeza's location as being ten hours, in hyper speed, Vegeta had already slept part of the way but the blinking red light on the call button had peeled his eyes from slumber.

"Zarbon's crazy if he actually thinks I'm still there, waiting for him." Vegeta felt satisfaction in the fact that Zarbon had probably gotten into hot water with Freeza and was now trying to hurry him along as if he, The Prince of Saiyans was the delay. _No _he thought, he would let Zarbon bask in his first wave of humiliation and when he got there he would see personally that he saw his last. Freeza would probably threaten him with insubordination, but he had already done that before. Vegeta wrapped his hand over the crest on his shoulder, his only identity laid embossed in his palm, the honor and namesake his father had given him and the only thing worth dying for. Freeza would punish him for killing Zarbon, if it wasn't with death than it would be an eternity of doing third rank infantry purges that are barely fit for Kiwi. The idea made his already sour disposition tense on his face, his youth had never been off setting for Freeza yet he was treating him like a common child. "That over grown lizard would probably promote Kiwi to be his second hand, just to spite me_…" imagine having to take orders, or worse wait for Kiwi to give me permission to kiss his boots, I would never suffer the degradation. _Vegeta clenched his eyes close, his mind was becoming too inundated with indication and he had become starved for sleep. The red call light flashed through his eyelids, thwarting his sleeping endeavors; Zarbon would never cease until he answered, like a dutiful dog. Vegeta arched his arm up smacking the pesky light putting it out of commission.

"What do you want Zarbon, I'm already in route to Freeza's ship. You sure took your sweet ass time answering my first reply!" Vegeta's eyes remained closed as he waited for Zarbon's usual sardonic response. But the line remained mute, the fizz and crackles of the connection wave was all that he could hear until a soft meager voice crawled out over the line.

"P… Prince Vegeta is… is that you?" The voice was shallow but clear. Vegeta flung his eyes open, cranking the volume to its maximum.

"Who is this, how did you get on this line?" Vegeta's voice backed his intense sternness. He only had one line open with Freeza's ship, why would someone question who he was?

"It's me Raditz, I served you as an elite before you…" he trailed off, knowing the young prince's temper he didn't want to stir his ire. Vegeta did recall the low born saiyan with a usually high level at birth he was aloud to be trained as an elite, though he squandered the term 'natural talent'.

"Yes, yes I remember you. What are you doing on this connection?" Vegeta had grown cranky with his lack of sleep and now he had to reprimand an elite soldier who seemed to only remain on the line as long as he did just to confirm that he was the prince, he was almost as smart as Zarbon.

"I knew it was you, I'm glad I finally found you!" Vegeta inched his finger towards the end call button, he couldn't believe he had let the conversation go as long as it did, the excitement in the boy's voice flaunted into exuberance. Vegeta held back a moment, curiosity being his motive as to why the boy was in such spirits.

"What's got you so excited?" He fidgeted with the ship's scouter; Raditz's ship was about 400 space meters away making his closest transmission station planet 4753 -6 one of Freeza's domains, but had been originally conquered by his father when he was just a boy. It lay vacant until Freeza noticed it and instituted a base there, the planet's fate soon establish his father's reputation, a reputation Vegeta hoped he could continue to honor.

"My Prince, the tyrant Freeza has been destroyed! I received a transmission from our home planet only two hours ago!" Any sense of sleep had faded as Vegeta jolted to the call receiver.

"What… what kind of nonsense are you talking about? I've got Freeza's location on my ship's scouter, what do you take me for an imbecile?" Raditz shuddered at his prince; he apologized profusely trying to quell him. Vegeta checked the coordinates again, nothing had changed. Raditz had gone mad, nobody could defeat Freeza; Vegeta was certainly making plans for it, but there was no way…

"And who supposedly defeated him hm? My father or did he just die from a nose bleed?" He kicked his feet against the side of the pod, a slight echo reverberate back into the receiver leaving Raditz hesitate to reply.

"No my… prince... according… to… to the transmission it… it was my father… I'm surprised myself." Raditz was happy that the line remained calm; Vegeta's eyes were bulged as he sat staring at the red call button. Raditz, as far as Vegeta could tell was not the type to ingratiate himself and would not grandstand his third rate father. He curled his fist into a ball his exhausted mind barely able to process his own thoughts, _how… why... this isn't possible! _Raditz had waited for the prince to respond, he could only hear the crackle of the transmission, knowing the prince was upset he further stated "Well it did say my father had some brief aid from an on looker or something, I'm not sure the transmission ended right after." The doubt in his voice did clamor Vegeta out of his own frustrations.

'Is that so, daddy couldn't do it alone huh? Well I'm sure he had Freeza running for his hover chair in no time!" A barrel laugh poured out of Vegeta's gut as he braced his arm against the pod's head board. Raditz was always one to believe anything that he heard in space, being older than Vegeta didn't make him any wiser, his naïveté was the type of suckers transmissions like that were targeting for. The Prince of Saiyans was not so weak.

"Alright Raditz on a serious note, when you return to Vejitasai tell my father that my health is good and I'm stronger than ever." Vegeta always assumed Freeza listened to his transmissions so he never revealed anything of real value in them. He punched the red call button off, not bothering with whatever Raditz reply would be. His mind was past his normal exhaustion but a smirk still grazed his face as he thought of Raditz's naivety. He adjusted himself in his seat; he still had nearly five hours before he would reach Freeza's ship, he drifted off as his pod continued to traverse its logged coordinates.

A sprinkle trickled from Goten's hand. Bardock had startled the boy's stiff; they stared at him like immoveable statues. The white mist from the ash had unnerved the boys bringing their guard down to the extent that they hadn't notice the fading power levels all around them. It was evident now the bunker wasn't completely vacant but had become a tomb to those trapped under the mysterious mist. Bardock looked at the red forming rash spreading across his hand; his senses dulled to the touch because it gave off no pain. Goten and Trunks noticed the same scars across their palms, the mist was acting as a poisoning agent numbing the senses until the body was too weak to fight back.

"This… this was the vision, but… how, it's not in the future." Bardock recalled the glimpses, nothing before him was like the vision. He didn't know if he was seeing the future, the present or the past. Bardock didn't when think it was in the realm of possibility, he had never seen into the past before but this had to be…

"Boys we have got to see if anyone is alive…"

The red rash covered Bardock's entire hand as he sifted through the sludge. The stinging hue from the spread over his skin began to infiltrate his mind. The pain was manageable, but how was it that he was even able to see a vision that wasn't in the future? It's not like he could ask that dammed Kanessian who gave him the ability in the first place, how the visions worked and why they were always so dammed sketchy when it was least convenient. Not that it would even matter, even the Kanessians probably didn't understand why the visions just come and go as they pleased; never really explaining what they're showing. Bardock's mind travelled to the forefront when he heard Goten cry out, he and Trunks had murmured amongst each other constantly throughout the room but Goten motioned Bardock towards him. "We found somebodies arm and it's still warm!" Goten's childish pleasure and subtle expressions would fault anyone insincere. Trunks was already forming ki around his hand to blast away the top layered ash. "It's about time we stop picking through this snow field, let's just blast them out. If their true saiyans they should be fine." He smirked; Bardock thought it was crass, but said nothing when Trunks pointed his hand upwards. The ki exploded from his hand racing towards the white ash engulfing the trapped saiyans. But instead of an easy victory for the boy who defeated Freeza the white ash seemed to welcome Trunks' energy gladly and absorbed it as if it were merely steam filtering into the air.

Trunks had that sinking feeling he hadn't had since he faced Majin Buu; his attack was absorbed by something moments before he was holding in his hands. Trunks had notice the red forming rashes across his hands earlier but didn't even think about it, it didn't hurt so… _is… is this ash stuff doing something to me? _Bardock's voice pulled Trunks' out of his mind. "This… this is how they never escaped; they couldn't overcome the white ash." The power levels of the saiyans were still at pliable levels but dropping sharply the longer they remained under the ash.

"They're not dead" Bardock said in a harsh tone. "But they probably will be, soon. I'm not sure how, but I can tell you this was probably a back plan of extermination." He narrowed his eyes to the motionless arm lying coldly on the floor. "No matter what I do, Freeza still wins…" Bardock clenched his fist, disappointed that fruition had not come to pass, even after Freeza's death and the planet still intact. "There's nothing we can do for them, we can't even give them a decent death." Trunks and Goten couldn't believe how defeatist Bardock was; the ire in Trunks' blood boiled at the thought of just giving up without much of a fight. "You've got to be kidding me, just because of one measly mistake I'm supposed to throw my arms up in defeat to a pile of ash? I'M a true saiyan and you can call it quits but I'm not gunnin" without hesitation Goten agreed with Trunks. Both boys raised their arms together in a quiet unison channeling their energy into one full beam attack directly next to the arm scuttled on the floor. At full force they pushed the beam straight into the ash absorbing the brunt of the blast like it had before; it started to weaken as the energy continued without showing any signs of fatigue. Some of the white ashes crumbled aside revealing a smooth upper torso; sweat petered out of the boy's forehead, Bardock watched the little magician's pull off yet another trick he, too busy decoding the meanings of what could have been and forgetting that before a psyche, he was a saiyan warrior.

The emergency light in the pod was dim; life support had been secured to the prince's vital orifices. His ship was nearly two hours over due for docking at Freeza's ship yet the young prince slept as any other child, his head resting peacefully slouched over his shoulder with his cape swathed over his waist like a blanket. Even in sleep Vegeta rested his arms across his chest with a stern sincerity that radiated in his temperament. He was a light sleeper by nature; the subtle change in the atmosphere paired with the glare of the emergency light jarred the prince from his serene inertia. Vegeta opened his eyes, blinking hard at the intrusive red light as he instinctively reached for the oxygen mask covering his mouth. He input the end of his coordinates showing his location and blotted the light from that damn lightbulb still flashing in the corner. The reserve light flickered on illuminating the pod and forcing the darkness of space to flood to the fore front. Vegeta could see the cold lifeless corpse of Freeza's grand armada; his personal travelling cage looked as if it hadn't seen life in days. Perhaps the despotic dictator's departure from this realm wasn't just one of Raditz's tendencies to naïveté, but had a basis in truth. Vegeta opened the hatch, he more than anyone wanted Freeza dead and had long ago made a vow that he would destroy the tyrant one day. He climbed out of his ship; the bleakness of space contrasted with the pounding beats of Vegeta's heart as he apprehensively approached the rear front of the forsaken vessel.

It was dark inside; a chill ran down Vegeta's backside, he groped the walls for the circuit breaker on the side panel. It became apparent more than ever to the prince that Freeza was in fact dead, but was it possible that Raditz's low born father and some mystery fighter actually brought about the end of the tyrant of the universe? The creature that the prince was bond to for only three months with every moment passing like an aching eternity. He glanced down the halls that had been the bemusement to the likes of Kiwi and Zarbon, Vegeta had to learn the moment he stepped foot on that ship to swallow his proudness if he ever planned on surviving in an atmosphere that didn't respect pride, or stature. His life was a commodity that was bought and sold, first begrudgingly from his father and then with Freeza who cast him to the lowest form imaginable, making him an underling to his unsurmountable lust of total domination.

Vegeta glanced around the quite mausoleum. The stillness of the ship would be almost nightmarish to any other child if the experience serving hadn't dulled the senses to what was truly terrifying. Vegeta knew as a saiyan he was born to battle and he was supreme at it, surpassing his father well before Freeza got his hands on him. But Freeza was warping him into a creature he could barely face, he wasn't even an adolescent and his desire to kill was on par with his hunger for strength. It was an empty conquest; not the true honor of his saiyan heritage, he wasn't even fighting for his own strength but to fatten the pockets of Freeza's empire. It was barbaric to think that the saiyan prince was a tool, Vegeta hated his subjugation; but he hated himself more for not rebelling outwardly towards Freeza as he had subtly with every combatant he faced on the battlefield.

Vegeta didn't even bother with his scouter; even Zarbon would be able to tell with just looking that whatever battle took place it had long ago decided its victor. There wasn't the relief he always thought there would be once Freeza was dead. Vegeta had never felt more empty, not because he wasn't the executioner or some kind of lingering fondness, but because his goal his ambition was now staggered and he wasn't sure of what to do. He hated everything about Freeza and yet Vegeta's motivation was driven chiefly by Freeza's warping character. That killing desire was a saiyan trait, but there was always a reason; strength, honor, pride. Freeza didn't have reason, he only had control and that control was something the saiyan prince was driven to master.

He grazed his foot against a body, the curve of the hallway shielding it from his initial view. Vegeta's glazed staggered seeing the royal crest upon the breast plate of a saiyan elite, a woman he had seen in the palace before. _What… what were they doing inside Freeza's ship? _Vegeta traced his eyes along the hall, realizing how close he was to Freeza's main bridge. A nestled apprehension fell over him as he walked to the main entrance; it was still opened with only faint light illuminating. An eeriness beckoning the prince forward, daring him to see what was inside. He crossed the threshold; the prince could see more royal elites shrouding the floor, their capes highlighting their stature. But one stood out over the others, slumped against the wall his arms slacked to his sides with the surprised expression permanently imbedded in his resting appearance. Vegeta stood over him in silence, the royal sigil hung from his neck running a train down his breast plate, the crown of the Saiyan Empire; he paused a moment before reaching for the beaded chain, curdling it with his palm. It was cold. Vegeta lifted his eyes upwards his apprehension waned; his father the king was dead.

It had been the threat Freeza used to subdue him to compliance. Freeza used his control and would have lorded over him with total anonymity probably for the rest of his life as short as that span would have been. Vegeta placed the sigil around his neck; it was too long for his body and touched the edge of his tail. Dried blood clung to the sides, Vegeta looked at his father again; it wasn't saiyan to emotionally care after all he had sold him to a tyrant, but after all he was lying dead here instead of being alive on Vejitasai. He had felt apprehension before, and the empty feeling he was already enduring was exacerbated. The warm glow of the red planet was in perfect view of the main bridge; probably the very spot Freeza later met his demise. Vegeta gripped the sigil in his palm tucking it into his breast plate. It was a welcome sight, and now Vegeta wasn't its prince but the king.


	6. Bardock's Fatal Mistake

**A/N: So…. This story is moving away from the initial idea I had for the story but I finally have a full outline of how the story is going to end. Yay! Also there is some light language in this chapter so be forewarned! **

Defeat is the bastion of a weaken cause; moral is the easiest thing to break when an enemy is virtually invisible, when packed into a room it breeds hysteria. The stain of the corpses under the ash made them appear a gossamer white only hinted with hues of red that remained from the scarring. Bardock had been right they had no chance, but as a saiyan he acted as a coward showing fear from an adversary that was barely a lifeform. Under the undulating ash a body was found and dragged out by the cusp of a leg to fresh air, barely enough to bother but enough to justify Trunks' point. The body was hardly one at all, so black and badly covered by the ash that the scarring on the skin initially made it look like it had been covered in oil. Bardock originally thought the body was a corpse. There were no visual signs or even any sense of ki. He only realized animation when he reached down to grab the crook of the arm and heard the release of air from the mangled lungs of the saiyan. As monstrous as it was the bastard had managed to stay alive, for surely death was soon the follow this short reprieve. For sure this saiyan had gotten the worst brunt of the onslaught; he was unrecognizable, even his eyelashes were burned off.

Trunks and Goten were surprised somebody could even be alive with such a mutilated body. Bardock wonder if the rejuvenation tanks would even have any effect on such a degree of injury. His chest still throbbed at the memory of Freeza rapping his tail around his torso crushing and forcing each ribcage to break individually, his breath grasping to climb out as the pain exacerbated with each crack. The body's ki had dropped to the point of extinction. Bardock could feel his mind slipping into a dark forest hearing the clamor of cries around him and the continual burning sensation rising all over his forearms and thighs. The pain was over powering making Bardock grip his arms tightly as the boys realized he had fallen into another trance. The ash engulfed his skin like accelerated flames; Bardock could see and feel what the man had experienced. His pulse quickened as the renewed pain was hardly comparably to his own injury from Freeza, and as if to prove it the man shared his private agony.

It was more than apparent now to Bardock that they needed to return Dr. Planthor's lab and stabilize the saiyan in the rejuvenation tank. Bardock fell to the floor when his balance gave way, he looked almost frighten but said nothing as he reached over towards Goten who quickly clamored to assist him. As Bardock got to his feet he dipped his head towards the saiyan in state. "We need to get to the doctor now!" Trunks and Goten could sense the man's fleeting energy; they tilted their heads in unison and gently bent to grabbed what remained of his extremities. Bardock knew full well the boys were better adapt at flying than he was at the moment as the hazy darkness of being inside of a man's mind who had endured such suffering still had quite a spell on him.

Trunks delegated Goten to the backend of their flight as Goten begrudgingly slung the saiyans muddled limbs over his shoulder. They quickly took to the air, Bardock followed remaining in Trunk' hindsight. Trunks kept a tight grip on the saiyan's collar but the chafing that rubbed against his bare neck flaked some of the ash residue onto his skin that felt like little continuous ant bites. It wasn't much better for Goten; the shedding from the man's body constantly fell in his peripheral. Trunks grazed a smile when Goten sputtered struggling gasps at the wind turbulence and the specks of ash that fell on him. By force of luck or the fact the boys had lost track of how long they were flying in the air Dr. Planthor's lab was in slight. The burnt mummy who had said not a word of grievance but had been a burden since his discovery could finally now be lifted from their backs. The boys would changed their alliance with the wind when it came to doing something that quickly irritated them, though they felt sympathetic for him neither of them liked being the grunt who drags the injured away while the battle is still raging.

It was rather amazing the saiyan had a pulse considering the condition of his body. Trunks could only imagine the Frankenstein he would look like after he healed up, if he made it that far. The platform of the building was surprising active compared to when they last saw it being virtually barren. It seemed like the doctors had crawled out of their hiding places now that '_Bardock the savior_' had saved they from the terrible calamity that was surely to have befallen them. Trunks mocked their casual return of reassurance.

"If I wanted to I could set the record straight" Goten didn't have to glance to see the anger filling in Trunks' eyes. He was his father's son and just as susceptible to haughtiness and even more so to a lack of acknowledgment.

"Trunks" it ebbed at Goten that Trunks missed the bigger picture, even though he'd be lying if he didn't admit it bothered him just as much. But he knew it bothered Bardock even more.

"I wasn't gunnin' do anything Goten geez, let's go before this guy dies." The subdued jovialness of his tone hung in the air as they landed. Trunks permeated their silence with a sigh "look who's here, our savior" his high pitched sardonic voice didn't raise a reaction from Bardock when he landed behind them.

As if on cue, Dr. Planthor and the scurrying medics noticed the saiyan's presence once Bardock's hulking figure clouded the doorway, as if a massive chard burnt body wasn't enough to gain anyone's attention. Bardock lifted the man who had been neglected to the floor and carried him in too the amazed eyes of the doctors who considering what they've seen being on Vejitasai, would have pronounced him dead on sight. Dr. Planthor didn't even bother asking what happened and quickly opened the hatch to the rejuvenation tank and started imputing codes that drummed the machine to life. Goten could see the ash that had brushed against his skin was burning into Bardock's shoulder as he lifted the saiyan into the tank. The man had the strength of a blade of grass, and would no doubt drown in what was ironically supposed to save him; but Trunks supposed a senzu bean would be just as useless to him.

Dr. Planthor had a sense of agitation on his face. He closed the hatch and almost without a breath he turned towards Bardock who was quickly gaining admiration from the other medics once they realized who he was.

"Bardock what happened?" prodding was like asking for a lie, Bardock wasn't a storyteller.

"Nothing that could be prevented" a culmination of personal reflection exposed in his glare. Bardock had never felt less of a savior then when trapped in the coil of Freeza's tail, having to be saved by children and somehow was awarded champion. This unwanted 'hero worship' was the crown of Freeza's last infliction; his send up to ensure Bardock would always be weak, even if nobody else knew it.

"I see…" Bardock's eyes had become stone. He stared at the rejuvenation tank as an excuse to not talk on the subject anymore and Planthor was perceptive enough not to continue with his string of questions. Trunks on the other hand had no such reservations, it ebbed at him that the saintly Bardock not only pretended that he saved the world but that he didn't even have the decency to talk about what happened in the bunker like it was some secret of his to keep. Trunks was tired of being his squire, he was there and he was damn well going to say what he pleased. One of the medics standing near Bardock looked at him like a devout follower just waiting for a sign from his messiah; the idiotic nature of this planet was irrational, who believes something foolhardy just through the spread of word? Trunks nudged Goten with a smirk on his face "watch this…"

"Hey gramps you want to know what happened in the bunker with crispy; I'll tell ya, there were dead bodies everywhere more than I've ever seen Majin Buu ever kill. When your saintly Bardock wanted to just leave _I_ was the one who found that saiyan, whether he lives or dies is because of me _not him!"_

Bardock could not deny a word Trunks said, it was true he had wanted to leave he didn't see the point in searching for a lost cause; if the boy had gone on to say what he couldn't, the weight that confounded him could be liberated. Trunks' eyes glared on him as if they were adversaries breaking the solemn on Bardock's face. The room looked as if it would become a fighting ground with Bardock's only upper hand being his psyche abilities, unfortunately for him they came and went as they pleased. Goten pleaded with Trunks trying to quell his sour demeanor only to be pushed aside like a child. His bout with Bardock was long in coming and he was going to have it out. Bardock was on the defense, he knew full well the pint size boy couldn't be underestimated and with little effort would destroy the image everyone had of him, though his reputation was of little concern.

"I'll tell you what, I'll only use one of my arms…" he couldn't help but smirk, Goten knew why and didn't return a giggle when he glanced at him.

"Trunks this isn't The World Martial Arts Tournament, it's not a competition!" Goten's thoughtless words only brought out Trunks' inflated ego more.

"You're right about that Goten; it's definitely not going to be a challenge!" He ran his fingers through his hair watching for a reaction on either face, Bardock had been holding his defensive and trying with all his ability to penetrate his psyche with little avail. Cocky bastards are usually the easiest to read, but this boy was an array of emotions, cocky was just the obvious.

"They're bigger problems in this world than satisfying your ego" Bardock was a natural warrior and understood Trunks' determination to prove what was undeniable truth, but at the same time he knew dividing the ranks was the worst thing that they could possible do right now. His psyche powers had never let him be reassured about anything anymore and if anything he wanted to get that through to the boy, even if it meant taking a beating.

"You… have no idea; you hide behind the lie that _you_ defeated Freeza when an honorable saiyan would _never _stoop to such… a low level." Class had never meant that much to Trunks, he wasn't blind to the fact that he was born wealthy but as a person he knew from his father that it meant something in the saiyan culture. Bardock had constantly been chided by his low status, it was nothing new, but even so the nail went a little deeper as this boy rings a familiar tune to the loathed prince. He wouldn't deny that their circumstances with Freeza weren't exaggerated, but Trunks was going to have to let things lie.

"Listen I've already told you that I didn't start that rumor, and I certainly don't relish in its circulation" he would have loved to find that saiyan with that radio transmitter and denounce everything that was said about the battle letting the boys describe what really happened, and set the record straight. But he knew this boy was too angry, too prideful, too saiyan to let it be that easy.

"I can't stand how saintly everybody seems to think you are when you're really just a coward; you and everybody here would be nothing if it wasn't for us." The medics who were cowering pathetically in the corner glanced up unsure of who was to be their knight in shining amour. Dr. Planthor could see the boy's psychological resolution needed more than just Bardock's reassurance, he needed the room's.

"I believe you, you proved earlier that you were more than capable and I believe you a… and the other boy definitely put an end to the tyrant." Trunks was surprised, even if ingenuous the little hermit still was a witness who at the very least heard Bardock admit he was a liar and was there when Bardock was himself injured. There was a sudden wave of support that didn't exist the moment before; it was petty and trying to feed into his ego, which was more irritable than trying to fight for his honor had been. Bardock had been the solemn pillar amongst the chattering, his presence glowed with a radiance of the lone warrior who defeated the tyrant. Goten shoring at his defense only intensified his messiah image. It seemed even the chanting of the room would not be enough to quill the embers.

Trunks ironically found some patience eying the saiyan whose charred body was slow revealing itself as the burned ash chipped away from his skin. Not quite the Frankenstein he had imagined, though he was still a fright to behold in his fish bowl. His monster of a size must have made him a devil on the battle field. Though Trunks knew size meant nothing he would have still been intimidating; like running into an elephant the shock was his value. A clattered up the stairs pulled Trunks out of his momentary lapse, a scientist or so as he was dressed in the same white lab coat as the other doctors gasped for breath as he leaned his pink webbed fingers against the door frame, his under shirt peeked out above his waistcoat supporting a large girth when he straighten up.

"Doc… doctor Planthor… its… it's the prince, Prince Vegeta has returned!" He had the room's full attention.

His scent had changed, highly aware of his new status the air ripped through his lungs and out again taking in the senses of what was to be his new resolution. The past would no longer be his bench mark; Freeza's delusion of value would not be the precipice anymore. Vegeta thought about how his father looked lying against the great hall, a fallen king clutching to an ideal that he alone would restore what he had shamefully given away. His dark eyes staring blankly out as his pierced chest pumped out his resulted efforts, his realization that he was no match was his last expression. Vegeta pulled the sigil from his breastplate; warmed from his body heat the feck of dried blood that still nestled on the sides only evoked a sense of pity. Freeza had destroyed Vegeta's only family, but like with all downfalls it started from within. The former king had been a pale contrast to his younger glories; he grew too opulent and had become the diplomat king over the warrior king making Freeza's subjection of the saiyans all the more accessible.

The boy king would have supremacy over a new nation of rebels; those who showed strength above all else, even birth would be considered for stations that traditionally would be for noble sons of average strength. If the likes of Bardock's conquest were to be believed even he, under Vegeta's new regime could hope for a higher sanction. All that mattered was that the saiyans as a race reinstalled their threat across the galaxy as the most formidable beings to ever come in contact with on the battle field. The hum of the ship cradled against Vegeta's ears as it entered the atmosphere of his kingdom; he had been gone for nearly five months tolling at the hands of Freeza, his subjection he would only trade for strength but Vegeta had resolved that even that was too much of a price. The young king was not immune to the fact that his return would not be jubilant for everyone; his father had made enemies in his own council even rumored to have had some saiyans defect to Freeza working against their own king, it was said they worked most prudently to have subjugation under Freeza in turn Vegeta planned to treat them like any traitor, swiftly.

A peaceful moment passed over Vegeta as he recognized that he had not only taken a firm hold of his new fortitude but that he wasn't going to hold any reservations for anyone who didn't see fit to implementing his new policies. It was ironic how Raditz's simple communication was the launching point of Vegeta's revitalized ambition when he was nearly on the brink of abandonment. The boy was partial to exaggeration but had been the first to serve his king and Vegeta would not forget that. The palace dock was within sight, from the spherical view Vegeta could see that it hadn't been rummage meaning that however long his father had been dead on Freeza's ship it was evident someone had taken the liberty of occupying the royal palace, which was the first thing he planned to remedy.

The palace entry way had always been a cold corridor and still was; it was the only place that seemed abandon without visible light which always streaked out under the main door at the end of the corridor. Vegeta could hear the bustling of murmurs and wasted no time arching his knees, he decided he wasn't going to diplomatic. A charge of his energy barreled down to the door startling the saiyans who had just sat down for a meal; their expressions darted questionably at one another as their prince stood smug before them. Vegeta didn't know who or even what his father's enemies looked like but the motley crew assembled did have the air of self-indignation about them. He formed energy form his hand into the shape of a ball breathing brighter as it loomed above him, Vegeta remained silent as he darted his eyes impartially across the room.

"Aren't you going to welcome your new king?" their reprieve came in mocking bow of allegiance. A display Vegeta had seen time and time again in front of Freeza, he himself had done it under the exact same threat and would use Freeza's tactics to weed out the truth.

"Long live King Vegeta II!" it was a courtly jest that one of them had shouted proving his loyalty. For the first time Vegeta had heard his titled said in full, it had never sounded more exhilarating.

Vegeta glanced at a stout, plucky like saiyan who had been cheering with the others. The only thing clear to him was that she was female. He pointed his finger towards her, the chanting stopped and she positioned herself in front of the boy king. "You woman stand against the wall, remove your armor" her darting eyes passed across the astonished faces and a flinched hand that keep her glaze, just what Vegeta had been waiting for. "You this is your woman tell me for her life depends on it, were any of these men agents of Freeza's?" The man shook his head as he looked at his comrades with heavy agitation.

"No none we are all loyal to your my lord!" he flashed his eyes towards the woman who stood silently with her armor off to the floor, clutching her body with her arms. She eyed the room looking for a response from Vegeta who only offered a grim smirk that made her skin crawl; her body reverberated as she turned her gaze from his paralyzing orbs. The beeps of the scouter turned the room towards the boy king, Vegeta's focus was clear on his face putting the other saiyans on edge.

"I'll tell you what, if you have satisfactory power levels you'll be the first to join my elite guard…" he purposely paused to see the reaction and elation from his proposal. The male saiyans squeaked in a choir claiming their rank under the former king and their battle victories that dated before Vegeta's birth. The clamor was what he expected, he ran the scouter across them finding they had decent power levels but nowhere near what Bardock must have achieved defeating Freeza. He turned towards the woman who was concentrating on hiding her frustration, her level was beyond low and her shame was proof.

"There's no way with your power level that you could have been a soldier for my father" she looked up sheepishly darting her eyes over at her lover who was as stale as she was. "I work in the meat manufactory" she said in a hum whisper. Vegeta's eyes grew with the insult, his smirk had dissipated and she knew from the frenzy of the moment he could swallow her up in his anxiety.

"Then get out of my sight…" he stared a moment as she bent to gather her armor "don't bother you won't need it" he said in a cold and distant manner that she stammered towards the palace door looking towards her lover for the last vestige of emotion. He turned his eyes away the moment Vegeta regarded his loyalty. The new epoch had begun, if Vegeta couldn't have warriors at least half his strength they would have to be double in their loyalty. There would be no rumors of insubordination or treachery under his reign like there was in his fathers. Every saiyan would know his or her place, dissevered or not Vegeta refused to be the king that would be ruled by another, it would be his monarchy not a copy of Freeza's or his fathers and without a shadow of a doubt he would surpass them both.

"I suggest you men make the formal announcement of my return. My coronation to king will be tomorrow and I plan to have an audience." He had said nothing to them about their abysmal prospects of strength though he knew he was holding to high of a bar by having himself be the ideal warrior. Vegeta could count in his mind the seconds they processed and scramble for the door. Had he been to merciful with the mountebanks? They did discrete the palace and help themselves instead of falling in battle with their former king who they had been eager to align themselves with a moment earlier. He rolled it over in his mind _no, they will have to be the most loyal. _

_Fuck the prince! _Was the constant repeating slur that raced through Bardock's mind. His agitation set in the moment that scientist walked through the door. _Why can't he keep the volume down like Planthor? _Being personally summoned may have sounded like an honor to the boys but Bardock actually had met the prince, he had the misfortune of meeting him on two occasions after Raditz had been recruited into the elites. His team had just finished a mission the elites had passed on when they realized clout wasn't a substitute for brute skill on the battlefield. When being honored for their success the prince who was deemed to give them their red sash, venerating their courage sneered looking at Bardock saying he could have done it himself if he had been there. The whelp had always been loathed by the lower classes as he was well known for referring to them as 'pests' and was constantly, like his father just staring at the mirror that presented itself. His agitation was becoming apparent, his pacing had increased as he waited for the royal imp's corridor to brighten for him to be summoned inside.

It made no sense why he would even want to see someone of Bardock's stature; the prince had made it clear that the lower rags were of little consequence to his empire, even though they were the ones that were keeping it together. So why would he care now? Did the rumor of his victory over Freeza really reach the elites? As pompous as that brat was he would be the only saiyan on the planet that wouldn't believe the rumor out of hand, Bardock had to give him that. Light streamed down the hall and Bardock was beckon in by a man whose eyes never strayed from the floor like he was searching for something in the tiles. His uneasiness was reinstated as he pursued into the room, the prince sat like a fat peacock upon his throne surveying the paupers who came at his gesture. Bardock begrudgingly hunched down on one knee before his prince, Vegeta eyed the saiyan not seeing anything spectacular about him; yes he remember his exploits that his father had deemed worthy of a red sash but could Raditz's father really defeated the most powerful being, the only being that made Vegeta feel like an actual child.

Bardock rose without any command from Vegeta, the boy had said nothing forgetting the appropriate stance of gratitude a habit he must have pick up awhile he was away. Vegeta's sour face formed a scowl as he drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair trying to penetrate the stone face in front of him.

"So Bardock… was it?"

"Yes my Prince"

"It will be my king tomorrow. I understand you have quite a victory under your belt…" The one thing Vegeta had learned to study when he was under Freeza was the expression someone made when they lied. He waited for the dodging eyes and the sweaty palms with the anticipation of a new recruit.

"I see you've heard the rumor though I thought more than anyone your highness you would have seen that it was nothing more than that."

"So your saying you didn't defeat Freeza? Your own son told me of your victory, but I should have guessed as much Raditz is prone to exaggerate…" He snaked his eyes back at Bardock to see his reaction.

"I apologize your highness for my son's indiscretion he was misinformed, I was there and did fight against the despot but I would have died like in my vision if _they_ hadn't been there." Bardock felt the uneasiness he was creating, Vegeta's snarky stare was replaced with a demanding one.

"What vision? And who's they?" only a vague remembrance of another fighter from with conversation with Raditz crossed his mind, whoever it was couldn't have been a saiyan elite that's for sure he must have been a traitor from Freeza…

"Don't tell me it was Zarbon!" The lizard was hardly a tactician and a shaky loyalty to Freeza but, still with the right support he could have …

"It wasn't Zarbon my lord, he was killed before Freeza." He said briefly "I had a vision the whole planet was going to be destroyed and I tried…" A fleeting memory of the past cinched his fist. "But then they appeared out of nowhere…"

"Who? ... What are you talking about with this 'vision' nonsense?" the tiring wordplay in their discourse was not the reason Vegeta had asked the saiyan to his antechamber. He had wanted to disprove that Bardock's third rate abilities could have ever defeated Freeza when his own would have barely scratched him, but to his ever expanding surprise the saiyan did it himself.

"These two saiyan-like boys, they destroyed Freeza with little effort…" Bardock pulled his hands into his visual display; Vegeta gazed at them as if the graphic impact of his words where clamored on his calloused skin.

"Two… saiyan-like boys?" he glanced his eyes up "and this was in your vision?"

"No, this was before my eyes. If it had been my vision…" He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before this moment, _why didn't he see them in a vision? _He had seen everything leading up to the destruction of the planet and Freeza's eventual death at the hands of Kakarrot… their mere presence had altered a future that was now different… was it possible they knew it?

"You can ask them yourself majesty, they are on the planet." Vegeta's eyes fluxed in a fury, Bardock himself realized he now had questions for the boys.

"What… why aren't they here then, why am I wasting time with you?" his patience had been seeping from the edges as his annoyance with the soldier's intelligence was beginning to reflect his low born station.

"Majesty you specifically sent for only me, I thought it prudent to quell the rumors and be their ambassador." As ridiculous as it sounded it was true, even though Bardock couldn't believe he strung the words together so elegantly. Vegeta was surprised at his effrontery, but said nothing acknowledging it.

"Consider their presence requested tomorrow at my coronation." Bardock took his bow turning to leave. Taking a page from his former oppressor Vegeta waited until a sense of ease returned to Bardock's face when he called him back. "Oh and Bardock if I were you you'd better hope these boys are the real deal because I've had enough with rumors, especially when they turn out to be false…" Vegeta's eyes filled with a passion of lust at his own threat. Bardock didn't miss the implications and nodded his head in response. It was subtle, empty and not the reaction Vegeta had with the other saiyans earlier but he was sure it would have the same effect even if it wasn't direct.

Those two mysterious boys, whoever they were posed a real problem. What sway would Vegeta have if two unknowns could come in and defeat what was effectively a dictator who was unstoppable… What did it say about Vegeta's claim of being the strongest of all the saiyans? If they were saiyan would he have to fight just for the right to even have the thrown? It was unnerving to think that someone else was stronger, but was Freeza was dead and that fact alone was terrifying. Vegeta planned to get one thing straight; he wouldn't be deposed even if it meant ingratiating himself to new oppressors, but he would not be like his father he wouldn't kiss any feet and he did have an advantage over anyone in the galaxy his own guile. He mulled over the idea as he drew himself into his private courters, _tomorrow would be an eventful day._

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary when Bardock returned saying nothing despite the hung air of anticipation and the desperate looks in everyone's eyes. Goten was surprisingly the first to speak, "how did it go?" Bardock looked around at everyone before answering "as well as it was going too." This didn't really unsettle or answer the lingering question. Trunks had wanted to go initially, he knew his family's history and he knew his father would be there as the proper prince he always was. Bardock could see the scowl brimming on Trunks face, the boy seemed disposed to being ornery which made him wonder what the king of ornery would think of him. It would be a sight that would have to wait another day. "The Prince has requested you both at his coronation tomorrow, I have no doubt he will ask about your fight with Freeza." Trunks couldn't have contained his excitement; his expressions brighten with each word Bardock uttered.

"What! That's amazing… I told you we should have gone in the first place!" Trunks was exuberant, meeting his father in the past was going to be amazing and he was actually strong enough to hold his own against him. Bardock didn't understand his excitement for what it truly was, but hadn't forgotten his own queries he had about the boys who came from nowhere, but was prudent enough to know a time and place to ask.

The commotion was rattled when the sudden burst of the rejuvenation tank quivered the door ajar. The attention was so for front that Dr. Planthor hadn't even notice the session was near complete. The monster that had been within had like a witch from a fairy tale melted away into a recognizable being, more so to Bardock who watched the man who was a patchwork of scars pull himself from his restraints.

"You!"


	7. The Two Princes

**A/N: I know the pace at which the chapters are coming out are slow and I apologize profusely. Sometimes I feel like George R.R. Martin and I are in a race to see who can write the slowest. (At least he's getting paid for it, and has a T.V. series…) anyway I will try to be more prudent and thank you for the people who took the time to comment it's always nice.**

**Again I realize that I haven't updated this story in months… but I kinda fell out of the fandom for a bit and was just going to abandon the story, but I'm back and I even saw Resurrection of Freeza in theaters! I also learned to crochet, this will impact the plot I' am sure! **

The soft glow of the morning light drifted down over Vegeta, showering him with a prophetic blessing like a prince from a legend. Fitting considering he was after all a legend in the making. Vegeta had his ceremonial robes dipped in virgin marmot oils repeatedly to bring out the radiant hues that had grown dull since he last wore them at the behest of his father for the honor of the tyrant who would later take him as his personal exploitation. The robe itself was a reminder of what was dead; and truthfully he wasn't sicken by it, but the longer it soaked in marmot clawing the past away leaving only a shiny exterior the more disposed he was to wearing it. Vegeta knew there was no real precedence for adorning it; Saiyans hardly had long term conventions as it was, he knew he would be expected to wear it simply because his father always insisted he did. The intensity of his royal claim could be as fleeting as his own temperament if the two boys who defeated Freeza felt like testing his honor. Sometimes moving an inch to gain a mile could be ingratiating but after all he had suffered through at the hands of that calculating madman Vegeta wasn't willing to give it up to someone who had lucked out on Freeza's arrogance and not on their own brute skill in a real battle. There was already a gap in-between what Vegeta would have been willing to admit about his own abilities against Freeza. In truth he knew he wouldn't have been able to defeat him alone which is what made these boys all the more intimidating.

It had been a long morning, the succession to his kingdom was at his fingertips all Vegeta had to do was grasp it with the force of an oozaru and his own natural mindset; a steel basin that not even Freeza could fully penetrate. As his procession began Vegeta couldn't deny eying the crowd for what he assumed would be the two most obvious boys. If their presence proved to be half as intimidating as they were in his mind, Vegeta almost wanted to race to the altar to be crowned before these imaginations could prove to be true and make his senses evaporate. His eyes crossed over Bardock who was looming off to the side starring in a direction Vegeta couldn't see. The crowds focus was lapped in cheers and hoorahs as Vegeta quarried his way towards the altar stone, but he kept his focus on the one saiyan who had an alternative interest. Not only that it seemed he failed to produce these so called saviors as he stood barren and in utter defiance. A smirk glanced his face; he was not going to be made the fool, Bardock had with one swift turn of his head sealed his own fate.

At the alter the saiyan who had only the previous evening cemented his loyalty after his mate had been crudely undressed and forced into vulgarity. He kept his eyes ajar as he placed the new sigil and began to read the address King Vegeta had fifteen years prior, a somber mood had settled over the crowd as the older saiyans remembered the battle that won them their current dwelling. Even Bardock drew his attention from his pleasantries and listened with rumination. Vegeta didn't want to dwell on the past, when the sigil was placed around his neck the lump lodged in his throat that carried all of his doubt finally fell away and gave birth to his new imagination. He had won the race again, he was finally king and his subjects were going to be beholden to him. Especially those who had the most to prove. Vegeta put his dalliances aside as he hovered lightly above the altar where he had just been ordained. His smirk a trademark of his personality, aimed at his current enemy Bardock let loose his first order as king.

"Now that I'm your king, I will honor those most loyal to me." The crowd was a buzz nudging and darting their eyes from the king to his obvious recipient, the man who had spared them from the torment of Freeza's rule. Bardock shunned the popularity as he knew from their previous encounter whoever's name was spoken it wouldn't be in connection with him.

"Nappa rise and reinstate your oath…" The beast rose from the crowd, scars in all like a titan from the sea. Bardock stared flabbergasted, how did he get to Vegeta's chambers in such a short span? Nappa stood imposing next to Vegeta even more so now that he was a mutilation of his former self. But there was no mistake he was the man who took Raditz to serve the ingrate and as also in charge of where the infiltration pods were sent. He was the one who decided Kakarrot went to earth. The disillusionment on Bardock's face was exactly what Vegeta wanted, but he was merely flexing, Bardock would learn the price of his duplicity.

"I had planned to honor 'the boys' who were supposedly _aiding_ Bardock, but as it turns out they didn't bother showing themselves…" A clatter from the back of the crowd rose over Vegeta's persuasion, the noise quickly garnered the attention of the room making the new king ready to kill the conspirators when he saw what made him sink to his feet. A golden light flickered with an aura as the being walked with a smirk darting his eyes and pushing his thumb up towards Bardock. Vegeta, now the one flabbergasted quickly turned his head towards the saiyan for recognition; it was clear, beyond the shadow of a doubt this had to be the boy. But it was only one of them, and what was he? The expression on Bardock's face was of familiarity and a shock of the situation and not of the boy himself. Vegeta who didn't have a scouter, but in self-respect wouldn't have needed it, he could see that this was the boy that defeated Freeza. His ire was set aflame; he couldn't pretend anymore, he could feel the cage door closing around him again. It seemed he hadn't won the race after all.

Vegeta felt paralyzed and this was just _one of them…_ the boy revealed himself in a manner that Vegeta would have, in a blaze of glory that set him above everyone else, Vegeta fumbled to make a sound. It was more awe than fear, and anger building on jealously. How did this happen? He was the prince, now king of all saiyans how was there someone stronger? The boy placed his palms together in a forward bow, when he spoke he sounded like an echo which only intensified his presence. Vegeta scrabbled to catch his balance when he felt a deep impression on his shoulder from the towering presence behind him. "My lord that is the boy that pulled me from the ash…" the acknowledgement from the boy didn't ease Vegeta's apprehension. He looked at Bardock accusatorily "you said there was two, where is the other?" Vegeta did not want to be blindsided again; a snicker creeped out from the boy, Vegeta turned his head back not seeing the humor. "Can't you see? Were both, I thought you'd be impressed with our fusion, Freezer certainly was." It almost came across as a threat but the boy's demeanor was light hearted, almost humble. "Who are you?" was certainly the question on the tip of everyone's tongue least of all Bardock. "My name's Gotenks and that's all that's important… heh" his cheekiness revealed a sardonic edge to his humility, but Vegeta had regained his stature "well… _Gotenks_ are you pledging fealty?" He took dramatically to one knee bowing his head in state that confused Vegeta but was obvious in its meaning, loyalty.

Vegeta had purposely snubbed Bardock the honor of sitting at his right side for his battle triumph, little though it was the slight was exhibited on the other saiyans who became less exuberant as the toasting wore on. Vegeta left for the private quarters of the throne room removing his robe with more certainty than when he put it on. When the crowds dispersed after the banquet, only Nappa remained in his lodging with the new _Gotenks _awaiting his honor in the ante chamber. Not long after the new king left the festivities Gotenks was approached by the saiyan they had saved only a day before. Bardock watched as they spoke in hushed tones and then casually push away from the table and left. He wasn't concerned for the boys themselves but for what Vegeta thought he was gaining from them. Bardock wished his ever fleeting physic abilities would show him a vision into what Vegeta was planning.

Waiting in the ante chamber seemed to last an eternity, Gotenks felt he'd been pushed aside like a kid when it was thanks solely to him that everybody was still alive. Still he couldn't believe seeing his father alive and so young, younger than him. The elation he felt watching from behind the anointed king was something he knew his father would have been proud of. Good thing Bardock was just a spectator, if he had known about the fusion he no doubt would have spoiled it. They could feel time had run out, the boys bodies shot away from each other with a magnetic force, throwing them on opposite sides of the room. Trunks shouted towards Goten who was rubbing his head from hitting it on the bed post. "How cool were we, I bet everyone thought we were going to beat them up… ha-ha" Goten gave a like-minded smirk "yeah I bet they were real scared hehe…" Trunks darted his attention at the door "someone's coming" Nappa stood in the entry before the boys could make a reaction. He made a gesture with his head and smirked when he saw the frazzled look on the boy's faces. "Your king will see you now."

Vegeta's perch on the throne was a poise of dominance; he looked the ruler drumming his fingers on the edge with his head expertly placed in his palm glaring down upon his menials. Trunks and Goten looked in wonder at the spender of his presentation; his face staggered a little as they took their form in front of him, quite literally separate from their previous meeting. Vegeta now understood why Bardock referred to them as 'boys' though their ability to fuse into one being irked the young king it did explain how they defeated Freeza without any help from the saiyan elites. Trunks looked up with a glaze in his eyes; though he didn't know it the fact that he was serving his father's rise to prominence excited him, he would finally be on even footing with him now he could barely wait for him to speak. Vegeta wasn't one to play coy but he didn't want to play his trump card too early, these two were completely unpredictable and if they truly meant their loyalty perhaps that could be an asset.

"Well finally we met face to face, all of us." Vegeta darted his eyes at Nappa who shook his head in a quiet silence. "I will only ask this once, are you truly pledging yourself to my guard or are you as much a liar as that third ranked Bardock?" The swirl of reactions on the boy's faces couldn't have been more different; the magnitude of which Vegeta was waiting for.

"He's not a liar; he saved those saiyans from the ash, it's not his fault what the man on the radio said!" Goten ignored the pulling from Trunks, glaring with contempt at the young king who smirked at the accusation.

"And what did he say…" Vegeta continued his gaze; Trunks interceded by shoving Goten aside. "It wasn't true; Bardock got the credit for defeating Freezer when we did, but hopefully your majesty you see we are much more than that."

Though subtle Vegeta didn't like the tone the boy was beginning to master, he had grasped cockiness even in the face of Freeza; it was Vegeta's best defense against uncertainty and was unquestionably why he was king now instead of his late father. "I won't ask again…" his face was stern as his pulse increased in the intermitting silence. Trunks turned up his lip "yes we pledge to serve you your majesty." The scowl remained on Goten's face with his eyes darted across the floor. Vegeta wanted both their loyalties, ten days hence he did not want to be Freeza with the other boy leading the charge. "And you boy must say it as well…" Trunks nudged Goten whispering something Vegeta couldn't hear, his eyes soften and he nudged his head forward. "I… pledge…" like honey to a bear Vegeta's ears perked when the sweet words were uttered, the only thing he hadn't figured out was their motive. Freeza always had a motive with all his grand speeches; especially when it came to making treaties, there always had to be an angle in his favor and these boys were no different.

"But…" the word trickled off nonetheless _but _is always a prelude to something bad. "I want Bardock to be recognized and made a first class soldier or I'll take back my pledge!" Goten was firm in his voice, even still it took Trunks by complete surprise, all he could think to do was look at Vegeta's reaction. The air was caught in his throat Vegeta was barely sustaining the urge to blast him even though the idea had initially crossed his mind. But after all Bardock didn't defeat Freeza, he was a liar and there was no possibility he would give way just because of an infantile demand.

"That's your motive?" his burst released a hard laugh that echoed throughout the chamber. "You wanted to upgrade some third ranked wanna be so you promised to serve me?" his laughs grew astounding "that's got to be the dumbest motive I've ever heard of!" _and to think I was worried… _

"No…no we don't have any motives; we just want a challenge, Goten was just joking." Trunks lied through his teeth, though it steamed the tide little. Goten flared his ki, consumed in yellow light quieted the steams of laughter from Vegeta who had turned to shock.

"You… you can do that in your own bodies?" Goten was impressive, like his mirror Trunks turned super saiyan not wanting to be left behind. They flared like a golden flame, like at the ceremony but with their own power. Vegeta had pushed the button too far and would have to humiliate himself to ring him in.

"Fine he'll have a position…" Goten's smile return with triumph. But not with Trunks he had savored like Vegeta and felt his humiliation. _Who were these boys?_

"Tell me who are you, how did you get here?" Vegeta had never asked a more loaded question, but these boys remained a powerful mystery that was extremely unsettling for the young king. The boys didn't give a comfortable reassurance and tried laughing it off.

'Um well I don't know how we got here to be honest." Trunks scratched the back side of his head looking towards Goten who shrugged in ignorance. "But when we did we saw that Freezer guy and pop him over!" He started making motions with his fists flying through the air. Vegeta squinted his eyes "well then where did you come from, you must know that much?" the boys looked at each other for corroboration "we're from earth, it was being attacked by Majin Buu when we were fighting him we somehow got sent here." Vegeta almost wanted to laugh, Bardock had lead him to believe that they were in fact saiyan, but the boy with the mouth looked more like he belong among the ancient truffles than any saiyan with his outlandish hair and blue eyes. Earth had been a mockery since its discovery, and it was no surprise that Bardock's low bred weakling of a son was sent there, and the fact that these two boys were actually claiming to be from it was laughable to say the least.

"Well, I don't care who this Majin Buu is but if he hasn't destroyed earth by now then he's as weak as the infants that _we _saiyans have sent there to purge it from existence." Vegeta drummed his fingers with hesitance; the two boys were lying, concealing their true birth by trying to pretend they were weaker, which he had to admit was a strategy he himself had employed on occasion but this was an inquisition about their true motives and though his guile was impenetrable, his temper would get the better of him if this catty chat lasted much longer.

Goten's eyelid tinged at the callous remark the king made, Trunks seemed uninhibited though his motives were easy to see why. Goten shifted his eyes forward and bit the inside of his cheek to ebb the memory of his mother back from resurfacing on his face. "You wouldn't have stood a chance against him let alone a baby…" his voice was steady and left Trunks surprised. Vegeta on the other hand took the boy's aggression to the floor; he had left his lofty tower and stood in front of the boy with the clamor of his sigil on his breastplate echoing his presence further.

"Are you saying I'm weak? Because I'd love to prove you differently." There could have been a thousand Freeza's that burst through the door at that moment and Vegeta had the energy to destroy them all in the face of the boys mocking silence.

"Ah no sire" Trunks was an unusual mediator he tried polling off a calm demeanor though it had little impact. Vegeta darted his eyes towards Trunks, he was clearly the weaker of the two since they generally do the apologizing for their betters. "You must be his whipping boy, explains why you are always running your mouth." The incensement brimmed Trunks' ears, Goten flicked his eyes towards Trunks knowing that his tender ego had been bruised, by his own father nonetheless and no sentimental feelings were going to have value now.

"I'm not a whipping boy, I'm stronger than Goten and I'm the one who comes up with all the best moves, I defeated Freezer with my abilities and I could probably do it again without anyone's help, not even yours!" Trunks instinctively threw his hands over his mouth when his rage filtered through him. Vegeta said nothing as he looked at the boy a bit puzzled, he had kissed the boots of Freeza when he had to, but this boy was willing to humble himself for no reason at all and when called out on it he defends his actions as if they were necessary. Why, Vegeta couldn't think was why these boys were concealing seemingly trivial information when they had both pledged complete loyalty to him. But what was even more infuriating was that even though Vegeta hated beating around the bush he had no choice, these two could be impulsive and for the time being Vegeta was only willing to skirt that line.

Seeing an opening, he changed the subject that favored him more.

"Well, regardless of where you're from you have made quite an impression on the lower ranks and even restored to me my second in command of the elites and I can't ignore that, which is why I asked you in my private courters in the first place." He wrapped his arms behind his back as Trunks and Goten eyed each other for a response.

"I'd like you both to join the royal sanctum, the elite of the elite only the strongest saiyans are ever even brought in for consideration, and well you can see not even being saiyans what an honor that is."

"We are saiyans, we're just from earth." Goten started.

"Still going on about that?" Vegeta said with a smirk "Bardock had mentioned it, and though saiyans live off planet regularly none of them have ever lived on 'earth' which probably doesn't exist anymore anyway."

"Yes it does" the boys said in unison.

Vegeta turned his stance, glaringly at them both as they stood preeminently in the center of the chamber slouching their shoulders and arching their backs devoid of their own itching annoyance. "Excuse me?" was all he mustered "and how would you know that, did the magician tell you that?"

"Yeah, Bardock was the one who told us." It was a flat out lie and Trunks knew it but flicked his eyes at Goten with his coughing jester all the same acknowledging it with a nod.

"Ehh, well lucky for you then." He sneered with a sarcastic tone. "Well do you 'earthlings' want to join the royal sanctum or would you rather be with that third rate and just be a rung on the floor." Nothing seemed to separate them more than their temperaments, they both had different springs and Vegeta was beginning to see depending on what button was pressed who would jump first.

"Yeah that should be interesting." It wasn't the response he expected from the mouthy boy, who bar his own pride seemed to be a brownnoser. The other boy who persisted in being a shithead had a familiarity about his appearance that Vegeta couldn't believe he hadn't noticed until that moment. The boy was the spitting imagine of that annoying pest Bardock, and was proving to be the same sore in his ass. Was it possible Bardock had actually been telling the truth earlier? Or was this just another lie, after all many third rate saiyans had similar features; Vegeta stopped his train of thought before he could make a connection that just wasn't possible, at least he didn't think it was.

Goten had seriously considered just going back to Bardock, he certainly liked him more and it seemed there was no real reason to even have loyalty to this Vegeta, but being separated from Trunks didn't really tantalize him either.

"I will… as long as you keep your promise and give Bardock a position as well."

Vegeta waved his hand and nodded, shouting for Nappa to come and escort the boys away. He had never thought he could get so exhausted from a conversation that turned out to yield surprisingly little to what he wanted to know. Though he couldn't refute that the boys held an awesome power, but by the same token he knew they wouldn't be swayed by the threat of his cold demeanor alone, nothing could have irked him more. Nappa's return pulled Vegeta from his thoughts; he said nothing and let the sound of his movements announce him. Vegeta turned round facing a forgotten portrait adjacent to his bedchamber; Nappa stood stoic with his arms at his breast awaiting thunder from the little king.

"Nappa, I want you to send me all the information you have on the planet earth."

"What… what the hell did you say?"

Bardock could barely believe what he heard Goten say as the boy proudly prostrated his arms across his chest. He and Trunks laughed like children when they saw Bardock's face melt with disbelief at their exhumation. It was already well into the night and Bardock hadn't been able to fall asleep since they had been inundated with the newly crowned king. He stretched his mind over what they could have been discussing and wondered if Vegeta, the little bastard had taken to his malicious enjoyment again when he agreed to give Bardock a position higher than his initial birth, yet snubbed him publicly. Bardock was by no means exhilarated being considered a third rate soldier especially when most of Freeza's elites had been more deserving of the title. But nearly as worse was a personal favor from Vegeta, which as Bardock knew wasn't really one at all, he knew the little shit would take every opportunity to remind him of how much he should be grateful to him for his new station all the while using him like a grunt to pacify the agreement he made with the boys.

Bardock wasn't ignorant of Vegeta hatred of him either, but the king would be an idiot if he thought Bardock didn't have loyalty. Trunks and Goten may have been the strongest beings he ever witnessed, but their age still showed through. Though they were boys and it would be terrifying to imagine them as adults they were very much juveniles. Trunks flatten down against the wall for support, his arms arched over his shoulders as he let out a sarcastic sigh. "Yeah, not only did we get you a spot with the elites but we are going to be the crème de la crème of the royal guards" Bardock would have never pegged Trunks for willingly serving someone weaker than him, though his smug astir suggested his motives weren't what they appeared. Bardock would've loved for his withering psychic abilities to peer into the boy's mind just to know what his duplicity really was.

"You know the prin… the king will use this against me, he already hates me if anything he probably hopes this will turn the third class soldiers against me…" Bardock barreled his eyes at Trunks who kept his smug regard, shrugging his shoulders at Goten's protest.

"Well that's not my problem." He said closing his eyes. Bardock took back his previous regard and gritted his teeth.

"Well it should be you're the one who brought it to his attention." Trunks lowered his arms to his side and glared into Bardock's face with almost a laugh.

"You think I actually care where you are, it was Goten who insisted not me." He couldn't deny that much. The boy Goten had been a soft comfort since his own regretfully were barely know to him. He felt the boy, other than his similar visage was a link to his own and wanted to believe there was a connection between him and Kakarrot.

"It doesn't matter, what's done is done." Bardock hunched his back on the pillow; he knew the next morning's adjustment were going to need his full attention so like the past there was no point dwelling on it now. Stretching his legs back he tried to fall asleep.

"It's impossible, what is that?"

Nappa glanced over at one of his subordinates as the woman in the lab coat nearly fell to the floor after five hours of research about Earth yielded nothing encouraging. She turned frantic about the room as she pointed her finger at the monitor hailing some of the other scientists to come over. Nappa never took an interest in science and kept station with his own operatives, but the commotion was overwhelming even for him to ignore. One of the scientists flipped on the projection screen and a collective gasp resounded among them.

"It looks like a fizzer, almost like a black hole in space but not…" Nappa stood aloof behind the scientists as they ran to chart the coordinates. He looked at the image over the projector as it seemed to shimmer like an open wound, red in the center and unlike anything he had ever seen in space before.

"It's almost like its beating… like a heart…" The woman gazed up as code flooded the language amongst their speech. Nappa turned away but kept the thought in his mind, _a beating heart huh? _Earth would have to wait; this was something the king must know immediately.

**A/N: So I don't think this was the best chapter as most of it was written months ago and the rest I wrote just a few days ago… Well I hope the progression is still interesting to you readers and I have already got the next chapter planned out, again sorry for the hiatus. **

**BTW: Marmot is a real animal it's basically a fat squirrel, only the best for Vegeta! **


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